


Love Conquers All

by MansiJain



Series: Love me or Hate me [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, BDSM, Dark, Dark Albus Severus Potter, Dominance, Exhibitionism, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-01 02:07:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 56,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8603053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MansiJain/pseuds/MansiJain
Summary: Following a discovery of a way to break the Veela bond, Harry and Draco break the bond and so do Albus and Scorpius. Soon after, Harry marries Draco & though distance between Albus & Scorpius has increased 10fold, they are happy The trouble arrived in a carriage from France along with a friend this time and both Harry and Draco found themselves involved in yet another battle...Explicit. Infidelity. Dark.





	1. Prologue-Red eyed Trouble From France

**_A/N: Hello again, this is the first chapter of the sequel to LMHM 2- The wooing of Draco Malfoy._ **

**_Title: LMHM 3- Love Conquers All_ **

**_Prologue_ **

**_Red eyed Trouble From France_ **

Kids were home for summer vacations and for the first time, Harry and Draco were able to pay attention to them. His kids had alternated between him and Ginny and sometimes Ginny had come to his home to visit them. Draco had sold his apartment over his shop and they had purchased a new place which was spacious enough to accommodate there family.

For the past few months, it had been peaceful. They had made peace with their past and were happy with each other. Hermione had made a brilliant discovery. She had finally discovered how to break the Veela bond, which she confessed to have been trying for the past many years. With her help, they had got rid of the bond between them. Draco is still a Veela and they love each other but he does not have any heat or any compulsion to have Harry near him. The ritual had been painful, though worth it and it couldn't be conducted before the participants turned fifteen.

Soon after breaking the bond, they had tied the knot in a very private ceremony.

Following their example, Scorpius and Albus had also broken the bond and the kids were not even on talking terms now, though most of the anger and disagreements emanated from Albus. Though Harry and Draco were upset to see the growing distance between their kids, it had been fairly peaceful and happy and they were revelling in it.

Of course, it couldn't last long. Happiness never did.

The trouble arrived in a carriage from France along with a friend this time and both Harry and Draco found themselves involved in yet another battle.

XXXX

He looked out of the carriage, his eyes as red as ever. This was the country his father had wanted to reign over. Father had been destroyed by Harry Potter and his Veela Draco Malfoy and he had grown up fatherless due to them.

They had destroyed his father and now he would destroy everything that had ever brought a modicum of happiness in their life.

"What are you looking at?" His red haired companion asked "You seemed rather intense."

"Britain is beautiful, isn't it?" He asked sweetly.

"Yes it is." After a few moments he asked "Do you think returning to Britain is a mistake?"

"Of course not." The red eyed boy answered and got back to his staring at the sky. "It's a much awaited opportunity."

He had promised himself to make his father proud by carrying on what he had started and time had finally finally arrived to fulfil his promise.

TBC

 


	2. Infidelity and Clandestine Affairs

 

_**Chapter-1** _

_**Infidelity and Clandestine Affairs ** _

Albus Severus Potter was a very loud drunk. Scorpius realized this when he was sitting at his father's place, doing his holiday homework and he received a frantic floo call from the pub manager of _Liquid Desire_. Lately, Albus had started visiting it rather frequently.

"Mr. Harry Potter, your son, Albus is wreaking havoc at my pub. This is happening for the second time and forgive me for saying this but it really disturbs my business. I will have to involve the aurors if this happens again."

"Okay. I will send Scorpius over to bring him back." Mr. Potter replied rather worriedly.

"Don't fucking shend that fucking bashtard to take me bbacckk. I want you to come here, daddddyyy." They heard his voice and also heard the sound of a something being smashed subsequently.

"But, Albus, are you decent?" Mr. Potter asked in a blank voice.

"Yeshhhh, I am de-de- dechent. Not fucking anyone bent on the table, dad. Come soon." He slurred and smashed another piece of furniture.

"Christ! Stop all this, Albus. I am coming." Mr. Potter shouted and the floo call ended.

"JAMES." The said James Sirius Potter did not listen and Mr. Potter called again "JAMES. Merlin! Where is this boy when you need him?"

"With Rose Weasley." Scorpius muttered in a low voice.

Mr. Potter looked furiously at him and his eyes were so much like Albus that Scorpius just stared at them.

"I do not know what is happening with both of you but I DO NOT LIKE THIS." Mr. Potter shouted and of course, father heard.

"What's wrong, Harry? Why are you shouting?" Father appeared and sat down across from Scorpius, sighing deeply.

"Albus is wreaking bloody havoc in Liquid Desire again. I am so fed up of all this." Mr. Potter gritted his teeth to control his anger. "I do not want to bring a drunk son home every other day."

Scorpius, who had returned his attention to his book peeked up and looked at his father who was looking at him with narrowed eyes. "What have you done, Scorpius, to deserve such behaviour from Albus?"

"They won't tell us. NO! ALBUS HAS TO GO AND FUCK EVERYTHING WALKING ON TWO LEGS AND BREAK THE FURNITURE OF EVERY PUB IN BLOODY GREAT BRITAIN. We also quarrel but we keep our quarrels in our bedroom. This is no BLOODY WAY TO HANDLE SUCH SITUATIONS. Fourth time this week. First two times at Pegasus and now at Liquid Desire." Mr. Potter shouted and father sighed in annoyance.

Floo chimed again and the manager's worried face appeared "Mr. Potter."

"COMING. I am coming. Have some bloody patience." Mr. Potter snapped angrily and his eyes were practically burning with anger.

"DADDDDDYYY. Daddddyyyyy. Where are you daddddy? I mish you. I love you." Albus was also a very open minded drunk. He tended to shout his feelings to anyone and everyone.

Down went another piece of furniture and Scorpius recoiled under his father's angry eyes.

"Jesus, Albus! Stop it. I am coming, all right. I am coming." Mr. Potter replied and flooed to the pub, muttering to himself angrily.

"Scorpius, what have you done? Why is Albus so angry?" Father asked and he did not answer father's question, choosing to stay quiet and read his book.

"The issue is not going to solve itself. We need to find a solution of this. I was already suspicious when Albus had voiced his desire to break his bond with you. Now, I am sure that you have done something." Father repeated and Scorpius still stayed quiet.

"All right, then suit yourself. Albus is returning and I will have him tell us everything today."

Scorpius breathed deeply. He was simply not ready to reveal his infidelity to his father or anyone at all. It had not really been infidelity. He had not been in a relationship with Albus and so it could not be called betraying him. He had been naked and hard and tired and Eric Zabini had been convenient and so had been Sylvia Parkinson and Stella Goyle and many more classmates of his. He had not wanted to pursue any serious relationship with Albus and by the time he did decide, it was too late. Actually, now that he thought of that day, he realised that it was a coincidence really, a bad coincidence.

_Scorpius sighed as cold water fell on his sweaty body. Merlin, practice had been so hard and tiring today and he was really in need of a good night's sleep. He had decide to call all his casual fucks off and he had decided to start with Eric Zabini. He stiffened and sighed when he heard the door of his shower stall open and the Eric Zabini in question entered, a very naked and hard Eric Zabini. He licked his lips and started reluctantly._

_"Look, Zabini. I am committed and -"_

_Zabini did not even hear the rest of his sentence and walked under the stream of cold water. The boy's eyes trailed over his body from top to bottom and Scorpius's prick hardened under the intense scrutiny._

_"Really, Malfoy. That has never stopped you before."_

_Scorpius breathed hard and nuzzled his face in Zabini's neck when the man embraced him and cupped his arse. He kept his hands on his sides, though._

_"Hmmmm. he would be so furious." He whispered and sucked Zabini's earlobe, having finally given up under Zabini's tactics. He cupped Zabini's tight arse and_ _rubbed their erections roughly_

 _Zabini squeezed his buttocks and whispered huskily "He could join, you know. We could have a threesome. A rather enticing idea, don't you think?"_ _Scorpius's anger sparked and he slapped Zabini's round arse._

 _"Angry, Malfoy. Hmmmm?" Scorpius slapped his arse again and tried to distract their minds from Albus by biting Zabini's earlobe and whispering_ _"Hmmmm. Come on, Zabini, give me a little something ..." Zabini moaned and fell in his arms when Scorpius jerked him forward, nuzzling his face in Scorpius's neck._

_He traced his fingers over Zabini's spine and the boy shivered "What do you want, hmmm?"_

_Scorpius smirked and clutched his hair and pulled his head back and squeezed his arse tightly with the other hand. Zabini moaned in pleasure when their erections rubbed again, creating a delicious friction._

_"I want to you slam you on the wall and fuck you senseless. Would you like that, eh? I would fuck you so hard that you would barely be able to walk tomorrow." Scorpius bit Zabini's neck and the boy cried in pleasure. He slammed Zabini into the wall and crushed their eager mouths together and pinched Zabini's nipples. What he loved about Zabini was that the boy was compliant and dominating as and when Scorpius needed it. He bit his cheeks and then latched his mouth on the boy's tight nipple. Zabini let out a guttural moan and arched his back in response and Scorpius pinched his other nipple hard._

_He pulled back and smirked when he saw Zabini's mouth open in a pleasurable moan and asked huskily "You want me to fuck you don't you, Zabini?"_

_Zabini nodded and pled "Please."_

_"Come again." Scorpius bit his nipple and sucked it some more._

_"Please, please fuck me."_

_"But we have hardly had any foreplay, eh?" Scorpius mocked and knelt to suck his bellybutton and was very pleased when Zabini held his head to keep his mouth where it was._

_"Please. Please. Please. Malfoy. Please."_

_"But I don't have any lube." Scorpius pulled back and teased Zabini's tight nipples with the tip of his tongue. Zabini tried to force his mouth on them but he pulled back, teasing them again with just the tip of his tongue._

_"Please. I am begging you, Malfoy. Fuck me and fuck me hard, without a lube. Please."_

_Scorpius always loved this part with Zabini, begging and fucking and he loved his compliance._

_"Turn around and bend, with your hands on the wall. Spread your legs, for me, baby. Come on." Scorpius demanded and licked his lips when Zabini complied. Merlin, his arse looked so inviting. He had vowed that he would stop all this. He wanted to pursue his relationship with Albus but Merlin, Zabini was damn sexy. Everything, from the man's nipples, to waist, to firm arse was just mouth watering._

_Scorpius held his hard cock and traced it's tip and moaned. Zabini's compliance excited him so much._

_"Say, Zabini, do you like it when I fuck you-" and Scorpius touched the tip to his tight hole and thrusted in Zabini's anus completely in one go. "like this."_

_Zabini screamed and moaned in pain "Merlin, yes, I love it. Fuck me hard, please."_

_Scorpius pulled back and then thrust again "You are so fucking tight." he gasped when Zabini screamed "Please-"_

_Zabini's begging enticed Scorpius further and he pounded into Zabini's tight arse mercilessly._

_After the tenth time, Zabini screamed and came in Scorpius's hand and Scorpius came inside Zabini's tight arse with a scream when his hips clenched around his cock._

_That was when he noticed. He was nuzzling Zabini's neck and trailing his hands all over the moaning boy's body when he noticed Albus looking at him with a horrified and furious expression in the mirror just above Zabini's head._

Scorpius shook his head to control his disloyal erection. Of course he liked Albus and wanted to pursue a relationship with him but he couldn't exactly stop his cock from becoming hard when he relived his past exploits with his multiple and temporary lovers or when one of them practically threw themselves on Scorpius. But it did not mean that he wanted to fuck them again. He had not fucked anyone again, ummm, okay, except for Henry Creavy, but the boy was looking simply ravishing at the party and was throwing himself all over Scorpius and Scorpius could hardly control his reaction or the boy from riding him and it was not his fault if Albus was spying on him at that unfortunate moment. He had not fucked anyone except Henry after Albus had caught him red-handed in the shower stall and he was damn proud of himself. Albus had other ideas, though. The man was so jealous and insecure that he had started wreaking havoc at the slightest mention of Scorpius's past clandestine affairs with his classmates.

Scorpius did not blame Albus for his violent reaction and Albus would not even listen to him, not that Scorpius had anything to say in his defence. He simply apologized and his apologies seemed to escalate his fury, so he had simply taken to staying quiet when any such a thing happened.

"Albus, please stay quiet." Mr. Potter's annoyed voice brought him out of musings and he turned to find his angry ex-Veela near the fireplace.

"But daddy, he is such a bastard. I am telling you. I hate him shooooo muchhh."

"Albus." Mr. Potter replied in exasperation "Quiet. Just go to sleep."

"Shhhhh. Albushhh. Quiet. Shhhhhh." Albus slurred and then starting laughing "Everyone ash- as- asks me to be quiet. No one ASKS THAT BASHTARD ANYTHING AT ALL."

"I don't know what you have done to cause this Scorpius, but this is not the last you are hearing from me. Go and take him to his room." His father ordered him with narrowed eyes and crossed arms.

"NO. I WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE WITH HIM." Albus shouted and hugged his father tightly, who was looking at the ceiling in exasperation. "He does not want me. He hash othersh."

These few softly spoken words froze everyone, including Scorpius. Mr. Potter and father stared at him in shock, having added two and two and Scorpius simply stared at Albus who was snoring in Mr. Potter's arms. All of a sudden, he felt an overwhelming urge to take Albus in his arms and hold him close and comfort him and the feeling was very foreign to him. He was not used to feeling all this.

Nevertheless, he moved forward to take Albus in his arms "I will take him to his room, Mr. Potter." He avoided the man's eyes at all costs and it was a good thing that he did because Mr. Potter angry voice reached him "No Need, Mr. Malfoy. You are free to visit your former companions and treat them like trash but my son will not be a convenience to you. Now, GET OUT OF MY WAY." Scorpius gulped and moved away to let Mr. Potter go.

He had taken a step towards his own room when father's cold voice reached him "I am very disappointed in you Scorpius." and then his father simply left the room. His father did not express his anger through angry outbursts. His few coldly spoken words were enough to speed Scorpius's heart beats.

With a heavy heart, he threw a sorry glance towards Albus's room and walked towards his own.

TBC

 


	3. Hard Decisions

_**Chapter-2** _

_**Hard Decisions** _

Loud shouts and screams disturbed Harry's peaceful sleep and he huffed in annoyance and turned towards Draco who was looking tiredly at him.

Harry turned his body towards Draco who was staring at the ceiling,

"Merlin, Draco, your son-"

Draco glared at him furiously and snapped "My son. Christ, Harry. Earlier it was, _'Draco your father_ ' and now it is ' _Draco your son_ '. Will you stop blaming me for my family's mistakes. It's not my mistake if Scorpius has chosen to fornicate with everything on two legs, which was clearly obvious by Albus's words. Just stop blaming me for it."

Suddenly Harry felt laughter bubble in his throat and he started laughing. Draco glared at him again "Why are you laughing at me?"

"I am not laughing at you. You are just so cute sometimes." Harry laughed and kissed his nose and Draco glared at him weakly "I am not cute."

"You so are." Harry replied and captured Draco's lips by his own and Draco hugged him back. Soon he found himself being pulled in Harry's tight embrace and complied.

"Sentimental much." He rested his head on Harry's chest and Harry placed his head on Draco's.

"I love you. I am really lucky to have gotten you."

"I love you too, dear husband." Draco kissed his chest and they were silent for a few seconds. Draco was the one who broke the silence "What are you thinking?"

Harry sighed and replied "I am really worried about Albus. Payback is a bitch, isn't it? Perhaps destiny is punishing me for torturing you."

Draco traced Harry's chest with his fingers, lost in his thoughts "Bygones are bygones. I have forgiven you and you should forgive yourself too."

Harry sighed sadly "I did hurt you a lot, didn't I?"

"Forget the past, Harry. Move on." Draco looked into sad green eyes of Harry and kissed his lips softly.

"You have a heart of gold, Draco. I am really lucky." He whispered and stroke Draco's soft hair.

They fell silent again and this time it was Harry who broke the silence.

"Say, Draco. Are you sleeping?" He whispered in a sleepy voice.

"Sleeping..." Draco replied back.

"I really do love you."

"Me too."

"Night.

"Night." Draco yawned before answering and falling asleep on his husband's chest.

XXXX

Morning found Albus in the dining room, having a cup of strong coffee to alleviate his headache. He was fed up of pubs and pub fights and anger and everything that came with dating Scorpius Malfoy. He had made a decision to turn over a new leaf. Yes it would be hard but it was necessary.

Someone cleared his throat and he looked up to find his father staring at him with crossed arms behind a chair across from him. He lowered his eyes into cup.

"I-" Albus cleared his throat before continuing "I am sorry for yesterday. I embarrassed you-"

"Oh! Don't worry. I have embarrassed myself enough in my past. You don't have to worry about that." Dad started and continued looking at him with furious eyes.

"I have made a decision-" Albus replied in a soft and apologetic voice and dad cut him off "To destroy all the pubs of Britain."

"To move on."

Dad stared at him and so did Mr. Malfoy and Scorpius who had been approaching the dining table slowly.

"What do you mean by moving on, Mr. Potter?" Mr. Malfoy asked when he settled down on a chair "Sit down, Harry." Dad sat down beside his husband and continued staring at him.

Scorpius was about to sit beside him but Albus stopped him "Don't sit beside me. I will shift to another chair if you-"

Scorpius blinked and stared and then whispered after composing his face "It's fine." and then walked towards another empty chair.

"What did you mean by moving on, Albus?" Dad enquired and he looked at him.

"Dad, I can't do this anymore. I really hate drinking and smoking and I have to move on from Scorpius if I want a modicum of peace." He replied and continued after a deep breath "I am going to start dating."

Scorpius's eyes bore into his face and he did not have to look at the boy to know that. Albus had not wanted to move on. He had wanted to get over Scorpius's infidelity but he just couldn't forget what he had witnessed.

"Date. As in?" Mr. Malfoy asked and Albus sighed "Mathews Thomas wanted to go out with me. I refused, of course. I was already-" Albus stopped speaking and stared at his cup to get past the lump in his throat "-spoken for. I told him that I am already committed. Now, it's not so, so yeah, I am going to accept his invitation. Headmaster Dumbledore has held a ball within a week of commencement of school. He had wanted to go with me and I will say yes. I had refused earlier because I had wanted to go with Scorpius but now, he already has a list of boys and girls to chose from."

Albus stopped and closed his eyes and then breathed hard to stop the sudden onslaught of tears in his eyes. He had screamed and fought and drunk to get over Scorpius's betrayal. He had fucked a couple of blokes but nothing seemed to reduce the pain. The anger had vanished and pain had replaced it. Albus wasn't angry any more. He couldn't bear to look at Scorpius anymore. He couldn't breath without feeling the lump in his throat anymore.

His eyes opened when he felt someone's arms wrap around him and having expected his dad, he whispered "dad, I-" but his dad was sitting across from him, looking very worried for him. He did not know Scorpius's reaction at all. The boy was quiet and he couldn't look at the blonde without tears in his eyes.

"It's okay, Albus. I am sorry for my son's betrayal." Albus hugged Mr. Malfoy back and buried his burning face in his jacket. Mr. Malfoy rubbed soothing circles on his back and he breathed hard to control himself. After a couple of minutes, he breathed and cleared his throat "Thank you, sir. I am fine now."

Mr. Malfoy nodded and Albus looked at his dad who was staring at him with concerned eyes "Are you sure?" and Albus nodded, taking the last sip of his coffee and then stood up "I will serve breakfast."

"I can help." Scorpius finally spoke and Albus closed his eyes. He was not ready to talk to the blonde at all.

"No. I do not need any help. Porridge and toast are ready and fruits are already cut. I can manage myself. I do not need anyone's help." Albus spoke softly and hurried to the kitchen.

Ten minutes later found him having breakfast silently. Of course, Scorpius had to disturb the peace of his mind.

"How can you just move on?" The boy asked in a low voice and Albus kept his head bent on his plate.

"The way you did by fucking the entire slytherin population behind my back." He replied and noticed that dad and Mr. Malfoy were completely silent.

"I was not committed to you. I did not betray you." Scorpius murmured and this time, Albus looked at the blonde, trying to find any kind of guilt and when he found none, he returned his eyes towards his own plate.

"Now you don't need to commit to me. The veela bond is broken and you don't need to live with me. You can fuck as many people as you want." He replied.

"I have apologized countless times." Scorpius started and Albus stayed stubbornly quiet. "You are exaggerating the whole thing. I don't feel anything for them."

"Albus." Scorpius tried again and when Albus remained stubbornly quiet, he tried again "Get over it already."

But Albus did not respond. He was so bloody tired of fighting and breaking things and fucking around and just pointless noise.

"CHRIST." Scorpius shouted in annoyance and Mr. Malfoy spoke sharply "Have your breakfast silently and leave Albus alone, Scorpius."

After clearing his throat, Mr. Malfoy turned towards Albus "Albus, don't stop yourself from inviting your date to supper with us, just because Scorpius is my son. We are your family and you have a right to invite friends to supper if you want. I hope you understand that I have no grudge against you at all."

Albus looked at Mr. Malfoy and smiled "Thank you, sir." and after a few seconds, he muttered "Scorpius is nothing like you."

To his surprise, dad chuckled and then cleared his throat to hide it and Mr. Malfoy covered his mouth.

"Why are you laughing?" Albus asked, a small smile grazing his face, ignoring the furious blonde completely.

"Well, you see, he is more like my father than me." Mr. Malfoy snickered before turning to his newspaper but dad couldn't stop his chuckles.

"Father, this is so unfair." Scorpius started "You are not trying to make him understand. I want to pursue a relationship with him."

Albus concentrated on his breakfast waiting for Mr. Malfoy to support his son.

"This world does not revolve around you, dearest son just like it did not revolve around my father. He paid for his sins and you will pay for your mistakes. Eat your breakfast quietly and do your homework after that. Keep away from Albus's way."

"Are you not being hard on him, Draco?"

Albus was surprised when he heard dad ask this question. Scorpius's face mirrored his expression. Of course it did. None of them had expected dad to support Scorpius, though by the way Mr. Malfoy clucked his tongue in annoyance, he did not look surprised at all.

"No." He replied and then stood up after addressing dad "I need to speak to you Harry. I will wait in our room."

"Okay." Dad replied and drank the last of his juice.

Albus looked at his dad "I have decided to owl Mathews. Their is no point of staying at home when I am just going to wallow in misery." and then ducked his head.

"Okay. Just take care. Good day." Dad replied and stood up. Albus knew that his father disapproved his decision and his face fell but then he felt his father's familiar warm arms around him "I am always with you. Don't worry.", he closed his eyes, relieved, that dad supported him.

"Thank you."

Dad left and Scorpius cleared his throat and Albus realised with a jerk that Scorpius was still present in the room.

"Albus, you can't just give up." Albus just shrugged and chose to stay quiet.

"Say something at least."

"I have spoken a lot of things and nothing seems to work. It's not like you have stopped fantasising about your past fucks." Albus muttered and Scorpius spoke sharply "I am not fucking anyone-"

"Look, Scorpius, I don't want to fight with you." Albus breathed deeply because the lump made an appearance again in his throat. "I would rather cherish our sweeter memories than remember these bad ones. Please leave me be." Albus replied and got up and if his voice shook at the end and a lone tear fell from his eyes as he left the room, he couldn't really be blamed for it. Because even if Scorpius did not love him, he did. He loved Scorpius with everything he had and had cherished the moments he had spent with the blonde. He would rather not pollute his memories by fighting any more.

XXXX

 

 


	4. Marcus Tom Marvolo Riddle

_**Chapter-3** _

_**Marcus Tom Marvolo Riddle** _

Scorpius had thought that perhaps Albus was not serious about moving on. He had thought that it was just a temporary phase which will pass away with Albus's anger. He had been so wrong. Albus was dead serious which was proven by the arrival of an unexpected guest the following day.

He was studying near the fireplace or he was at least attempting to study. Albus was sitting on the dining, studying. Father was in his potions lab and Mr. Potter was in his study, working on his book. He glanced every now and then in the green eyed boy's direction to check if Albus was paying any attention to him at all. Alas! How wrong he was.

Albus was concentrating on his potions booklet of fifth year and he was paying no attention to Scorpius. Scorpius was irritated but he still did not understand his fault. He had fucked around. So what?

A sudden knock on the front door jarred him from his thoughts Before he could attempt to get up, Albus stood up to open the door. Several minutes passed and Albus had still not returned with the visitor so he finally got up to enquire.

"Alllllbussss." A red head was speaking and Scorpius cringed. It had to be a Weasley, with hair that red.

"Knock. Knock Albus. Is this the way you greet your guests?" The red head beamed at Albus.

Albus's attention was on the other boy though. The boy had startling red eyes and a very enigmatic smile. He was tall and was wearing dark green robes over simple shirt and trousers and the boy was smiling at Albus, who was staring fixedly at him.

Scorpius stuck his hands in his trouser pockets and asked Albus coolly "What are you looking at Albus? What is taking so much time?" He was anything but cool when he noticed Albus's eyes. Albus was positively smitten by the boy who was still smiling at Albus. His lips were red and something burned inside Scorpius when Albus jerked into consciousness again and spoke softly, addressing him "None of your business." It was not the sentence that angered Scorpius. It was the way Albus shook the boy's extended hands that lit a fire inside him, a fire that he did not know how to extinguish.

Nevertheless, he breathed and composed himself and walked towards their visitors. Only when he reached them, did he look at the red head and the strange red eyed boy.

"And who might you be? I have never met you before?" He asked in a sharp voice.

The red eyed boy looked at him and then back at Albus who was staring at the ceiling and then grinned at him. The grin was not at all friendly and when he looked back at Albus, their was a trace of lust in his red eyes which was like coal to the fire inside Scorpius.

"Hello, I am Hugo Weasley and this is-" The red head looked at him and replied cheerfully, beaming at him.

"I am Marcus. Marcus Tom Marvolo Riddle." The red eyed man grinned at him and his eyes were literally mocking him when they trailed through Albus's chest and down to his trousers and back to his chest and lips. Scorpius wanted to slap the boy and stand in front his oblivious veela who busy wallowing in his jealousy and was turning a blind eye to everything in front of Scorpius's supposed infidelity.

"Scorpius Malfoy." Riddle pulled his extended hand back when Scorpius did not shake it. The boy might be able to fool Albus but Scorpius was still alive and he would let no one manipulate Albus, no one at all.

Little did he know that he would have no choice in the matter.

"Well, Al, are you not going to invite your long lost brother in?" Hugo mocked and grinned brightly at Albus who shook his head in amusement.

"Come in, you. I will bring some refreshments." Albus spoke and retired to the kitchen.

Scorpius directed his guests gracefully towards the sitting room and murmured "Please have a seat. I will help Albus and then call father and Mr. Potter."

"Thank you." Riddle spoke and his voice was so intoxicating that Scorpius could just stare at his red lips. Of course, Albus would be attracted to the boy. But Scorpius knew better. He saw the way the boy leaned back and threw his right ankle on his left knee and smiled challengingly at him. The red head was oblivious to all this. He just looked around the home in awe.

Scorpius tilted his face and smiled right back at the boy. His eyes might have told Riddle that he had expected the supposed unspoken challenge but it was not a challenge or a game to Scorpius. He was very worried for Albus who was angry and hurt and sad right now which made him vulnerable.

He abruptly turned and walked towards the kitchen where Albus was pouring juices in glasses and serving some snacks.

"He is going to manipulate you, Albus. You must stay away from him." He leaned against the wall and followed Albus's movements. He picked up a jar from the drawer and spoke softly "When I did not have any right to stop you from fucking your mates, why should you have a right to order me around?"

"I am not ordering you around. I am looking out for you. You are not thinking properly, Albus. He will manipulate you. He is strange and has red eyes and he was mocking and challenging me silently." Scorpius confessed and when Albus picked up the tray and looked at him, the pain and sadness was as clear as day on his face.

"So, it is just a game to you now. A challenge that you must accept and win at all costs. I will not be a game to play with and I will most certainly not be ordered around by you. I am not a child and can look out for myself. Mind your own business."

Scorpius couldn't take it anymore. He pulled away from the wall and took the trays from his hands and placed them on the table. Then he closed the door.

"If you lay a finger on me-"

But Scorpius just walked forward and hugged the boy close to him. Merlin, it felt so good. It felt like coming home and it was everything that Scorpius wanted and had lost.

"Get off." Albus struggled weakly and tried to push him away but Scorpius did not let go. This might be the last chance he had to embrace Albus, at least for a long time ahead and he did not want to lose it.

"Listen." He spoke softly and Albus still tried to push him away "No. Go away. I hate you." Scorpius closed his eyes when he heard these words and he did not know why they just boiled his blood.

"No listen to me. Whatever might happen, I am always with you. No matter what. It does not matter how embarrassing it is or how painful. Just come to me and I will help you. I do not want to see you hurt. So, when it becomes too much to handle, just come to me and I will help you." It took a lot of strength to speak these words because Scorpius was an introvert person.

"I won't sleep with you." Albus had stopped struggling and stood limply in his arms.

"You don't have to. I know your anger will not allow you to forgive me yet but if you are in trouble, any kind of trouble, just run away and come to me and I will never abandon you. Okay."

Albus did not reply and Scorpius pressed in a soft voice "I said, okay?"

"Okay. Now let me go." Albus snapped at him or tried to because he eyes gave his pain away. Scorpius had never seen another man who wore his heart on his sleeves, except perhaps Albus's father.

Albus picked up the tray and glanced at him with his betrayed and pained eyes and then left and Scorpius stared at ceiling, praying the heavens above to help him.

XXXX

Albus served the drinks and settled down, avoiding the enigmatic red eyed boy at all costs. The boy was too attractive and Albus did not want to be manipulated at any cost. But he had to look up when Hugo asked him brightly.

"Well, Albus, what are you upto these days?"

Albus cleared his throat, keeping his eyes away from the boy and looked at Hugo with false cheerfulness "Fifth year is commencing in a week and, well that's it. What about you?"

"We dropped out of Beauxbattens. We wanted to continue our schooling in Hogwarts, you see." The reply had arrived from Marcus's mouth and Albus couldn't avoid the confrontation this time. He stared and stared and just stared. How could a person be so attractive. he had a brilliant smile and fair complexion and jet black hair, red eyes and red luscious lips which just begged to be bit and kissed. The boy was sex on legs and all Albus could do was stare. As attractive as he was, Albus could still not bring himself to ask the boy on a date.

_Well, duh, silly boy, you have just met him._

Someone cleared his throat and he felt a hand land protectively on his shoulders. That was when he noticed that dad and Mr. Malfoy had arrived. Mr. Malfoy was standing behind him, his hands on Albus's shoulders and when he looked at Mr. Malfoy, he merely smiled sweetly and blinked at him.

Dad, though was completely another story.

He stood beside Albus, his hand crossed and his eyes, fixed menacingly on a very composed Marcus. Dad was angry. He was so angry that his body was trembling and the bowls and glasses started shaking from the effect of his anger.

Albus had only heard that dad was the most powerful wizard after Albus Dumbledore and he got a living evidence of this when the glasses burst and the broken piece landed on Marcus's cheek. It was only Hugo's quick reflexes that prevented the cheek from being cut by the piece of glass.

"Uncle Harry, stop." Hugo yelled in fright.

"Mr. Potter." Scorpius called worriedly from somewhere beside him and Albus turned his face to look at Scorpius's reaction. The boy was positively fuming at Marcus.

He attempted to speak "Dad-" and stopped mid sentence when he felt a squeeze on his shoulders. He looked up and Mr. Malfoy shook his head and mouthed him to remain silent.

"Uncle Harry, what's the matter?" Hugo exclaimed when another glass shattered and the pieces spread all over the room. Dad's attention shifted towards Hugo who had turned completely white.

Dad looked deep into Hugo's eyes, searching for something, and Hugo stared back silently. Dad did not speak anything at all. Suddenly, Hugo blinked and shook his head, as if just waking up from a deep sleep and his demeanour changed from utterly cheerful to confused.

"Hugo, back off and stand behind me." Dad barked and glared menacingly at Marcus. The floo closed and the doors locked and Albus looked all around as Hugo mumbled "yes Uncle Harry" and hurried towards Albus. Something flashed in Marcus's eyes when Hugo came towards their side but Albus chose to ignore it in the face of dad's anger.

The flash lasted for only a few seconds, after which a soft, innocent smile grazed his face and he looked at dad. It seemed that dad's anger did not effect him at all, which was strange because almost everyone he had met was scared of dad's anger.

"What's the matter, Mr. Potter?" Scorpius enquired curiously and somewhat cautiously.

"Quiet, Scorpius. Do not speak unless I ask you to and back off. Stand behind Draco and do not move in any circumstances." All the while, dad's eyes glared mercilessly at Marcus whose soft gaze was confident and unwavering.

"Who are you? Tell me the truth." Dad had his wand out and pointed towards Marcus now and Albus decided to intervene.

"Dad-"

"Albus, Quiet." Dad ordered him, without giving as much as a look to him and Mr. Malfoy whispered in his ears "Let him talk."

"Who are you, boy? Speak up." Dad growled and that was when Marcus moved. Till that moment Albus had not even realized that Marcus had not moved or spoken at all.

Marcus stood up gracefully and extended his hand towards dad but not before giving a brilliant smile to Albus which Albus returned back of course. He could feel the anger emanating from Scorpius and it brought a gleeful satisfaction in him.

_Serves him right. Disloyal Bastard._

Marcus's next words froze his thoughts and his dad's strange behaviour suddenly made sense to him now.

"Hello, Mr. Potter. I am Marcus Tom Marvolo Riddle. Heir to Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known by the name Lord Voldemort.

XXXX

 


	5. Harry's Buried Secrets

_**Chapter-4** _

_**Harry's Buried Secrets** _

Draco stared at the boy who claimed to be Lord Voldemort's heir in shock and disbelief, because how could anyone bear to sleep with that hideous man, except for _Sweet Merlin_ "Aunt Bella" He choked out and bile rose in his throat.

The boy's eyes flashed in anger for a second but that mere second was enough for Draco to realize that the boy was definitely up to something. It took a second for Riddle to compose himself again and drop his extended hand in mock despair.

"I am sorry that Lord Voldemort sired me. It is not really my fault." He spoke and his expression was sad as he gazed at Albus and by the look on Albus's face, it had perhaps fooled him but it won't fool Draco or Harry or as a matter of fact, Scorpius who was practically seething so much that Draco could feel angry vibes emanate from him.

"What are you up to?" Harry asked in a cold voice, his wand pointed at the red eyed boy and Riddle merely shrugged "Nothing. Came to ask for your forgiveness. He made your life a living hell. I am sorry."

It was not surprising that Albus got up and faced Harry in annoyance "Drop it dad. He is Voldemort's son. So what, eh? Draco is Lucius Malfoy's son, death eater extraordinaire and has managed to be a decent man and Scorpius is a man whore, though it was Draco who sired him. How does it matter who is whose son, anyways?"

Where on one hand Riddle's face portrayed smugness, Scorpius's had turned pale. There was a moment of stunned silence which was broken by Harry, who looked at his son desperately, completely ignoring Riddle who was sitting arrogantly and smugly again in his prior position.

"Albus, Hugo was under imperious. I just removed that curse. Tell him Hugo."

Weasley's brat cleared his throat and came forward "Yes, It seems that I was under the effects of Imperious."

"Really" Riddle asked with a face that portrayed nothing but shock and disbelief but it did not fool Draco even for a minute.

"Yes, it seems so. Uncle Harry removed the curse, though. Thank you, Uncle." Hugo looked at his godfather gratefully.

"Do you remember who cursed you, Mr. Weasley?" Draco settled down on the couch across from riddle and asked.

"No, it seems to have been removed from my memory."

"Hugo, Return to your parent's place and tell them everything. Go through the floo." Harry asked and Hugo nodded nervously before hurrying away.

Having sent Hugo back, Harry turned towards Albus and Scorpius "Both of you will stay quiet and let me talk to him."

Kids nodded reluctantly and Albus sat back, whereas Scorpius stood silently, fuming inwardly.

Harry turned towards Riddle and warned him "Look here, I do not know whether you cursed Hugo or not but I do know that I will make you regret coming here if you harm my kids."

Riddle nodded and smiled serenely "I won't disappoint you, Mr. Potter. Thank you for giving me this chance."

Harry narrowed his eyes and stared at Riddle who stared right back.

"You can stay here if you desire until the school starts." Harry said sharply and Riddle nodded, seeming grateful, though Draco knew that he was anything but.

Harry looked at Draco and murmured, his eyes worried "I need to talk to you Draco. Please meet me in my room."

Draco nodded and stood up. Before leaving, he stared at Riddle with cool eyes "I am watching you. Remember that and steer clear of Albus's way."

Riddle nodded and Draco followed Harry.

Only after having locked his room and cast Muffliato, he turned towards his husband who was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands "Fuck. What are we going to do?"

"Why did you not throw him out of the house?" Draco asked, irritated beyond belief "I don't want to house Voldemort's devil spawn."

"I want to keep an eye on him. Had I thrown him out, it was highly possible that he would follow his father's example and terrorise Britain." Harry looked at him with tired eyes "Keeping him here is also a very difficult task. Albus is smitten by his charms, Draco. He resembles young Tom riddle so much, same charm, same confidence, same smile and same red eyes."

"Albus is as stubborn as you. We must keep other kids out of this at least. I will talk to Scorpius about Albus. Do not worry." Draco walked forward and pulled the worried man up in his arms.

"But, Albus is very vulnerable right now. He will manipulate him." Harry embraced him back and answered with a frown.

"We can't fight their battles for them. I will talk to Scorpius and you have a word with Albus. Tell him to talk to us if something goes wrong." Draco kissed his neck and Harry cupped his arse.

"He is up to something. I know he is."

Draco replied calmly "Perhaps. We fought and defeated his father and can do it again, if required." A few seconds passed and Harry did not reply, lost in his thoughts until he heard Draco's voice mock him "Scared, Potter."

"You wish, Malfoy." Harry replied back, a small smile grazing his face.

XXXX

Two days later found Harry in his study. He was waiting for the clock to struck twelve so that he could finally talk to Albus Dumbledore. He had been avoiding Draco since morning. Kids had gone to purchase books and supplies for the commencing year. He had kept an eye on Riddle and thought a lot about the boy. It could not be a mere coincidence that Albus resumed his position as the headmaster of Hogwarts the year when Riddle joined it, even though he had refused to take it for the several years.

He felt no surprise when he felt warm arms encircle his waist and Draco's cheeks press on his shoulders. Draco had been trying to talk to him since morning.

"You have been avoiding me since morning." Draco said softly. His tone was not at all angry. It was sad and perhaps a little curious. This was something that surprised him, though. Draco never ceased to amaze him. The man had boundless patience. He knew that Harry was avoiding him and he was not angry at all. Harry's love for Draco increased every day. He wished he could tell all his secrets to Draco. But he couldn't because they were embarrassing. No one except Albus knew them, not even Severus knew everything.

He did not answer so Draco asked again "You are going somewhere. Where are you going?"

Harry felt his lips upturn in a smile and teased him "You see, there is someone I am seeing, someone who is demanding my attention since I have not been-"

Draco pinched his belly button and scolded "Harry! I trust you. Tell me. Where you off to are and why are you not telling me? You can tell me anything."

"I can't." Harry replied softly, his eyes gazing at the fire.

"Why?" Draco backed off and turned Harry to face him. Of course Harry avoided his eyes because there were certain things he had not told Draco, that he had not told anyone. "You are scaring me Harry. Tell me please."

Draco sounded so worried that Harry had to look at the man in wonder. Harry had hurt Draco so much and the blonde still loved him so much. How could he have so much patience? He felt an overwhelming urge to wrap Draco in his arms so he did. He pulled Draco and wrapped his arms around him and then he closed his eyes. So many secrets. He did not want to hide anything from Draco. He wanted to tell everything to him. He wanted to scream and rage and maybe cry alittle. He had never got a chance to cry in his life. So just for once, he wanted to cry because he was sure Draco would not stop him.

"Harry." Draco's voice bordered on panicking and Harry realized that his body was shaking and belatedly he realized that he was whimpering. "Harry, you can tell me everything. Please, just tell me." Harry could tell him and he wanted to but there were some other people who deserved to know. Severus and his best friends, Ron and Hermione and perhaps the truth would devastate them but they still needed to know. He had kept it hidden long enough.

"Harry, love, please." Draco spoke so gently that Harry wondered the extent of love he held in his heart for Harry because how could anyone have so much endurance. Draco had always had a hunch that Harry was hiding many things from him and he had asked subtly about it. Harry had avoided every time Draco as much as indicated that Harry was hiding something.

He breathed a couple of times to control himself and pulled back "All right. I was going to talk to Albus Dumbledore. I just have a single request."

"Yes." Draco replied softly, his eyes worried.

"I want Severus, Hermione and Ron to be there as well. They have a right to know. I should not have hidden anything from them." Harry replied, his eyes on the floor and his hands inside his pockets. He waited for Draco to refuse and demand him to spill the beans immediately. Surely, he wouldn't have this much patience. So he was very surprised when he felt Draco wrap his arms around Harry and answer "Ok. We will owl them and wait in Dumbledore's office."

"Draco." Harry pulled back and looked into Draco's eyes before whispering.

"Hmmm."

Draco's eyes became wide when Harry covered his lips with his own. The kiss was passionate and chaste and it was like coming home.

"You are amazing, you know. I am very lucky to have you as my Veela. I love you." Harry whispered after pressing their foreheads together.

"I am?" Draco asked a little dazed.

"Yes."

"I love you too, Harry. You are the amazing one, you know. You just do not know it." Draco caressed Harry's cheeks softly looked into his eyes. Harry realized that he could spend forever gazing into those eyes. He wondered about Draco's reaction when he would finally know the complete truth.

Only time would tell.

XXXX

Two hours later found Draco sitting in Dumbledore's office, with Harry standing behind him with his hands on Draco's shoulders and Ron and Hermione beside him. Severus was leaning against the wall.

"Tell me Albus, did you know about Marcus Riddle'e existence?" Harry asked in a very sharp voice. Draco kept his eyes on Albus Dumbledore who was sitting in front of him. His face mirrored the guilt he was feeling, though Draco still did not know the reason.

"I did." He replied and kept his eyes lowered on his table. Draco just stared in shock at the headmaster.

"Just like you knew about mine. What did you do about it? When you knew that he was an orphan, why did you not do anything?" Harry asked him again.

"Harry, I am sorry. I-" Dumbledore started and Draco stared at the man, speechless.

"Sorry does not solve anything. What did you think Albus? Just because Harry Potter did not turn into a Dark Lord in spite of being bullied, beaten, starved, neglected, abused his entire childhood, it does not mean the Riddle won't too." Harry spoke and Draco wanted to stand up and shake the man but the man's hands squeezed his shoulders tightly. This could only mean one thing. Harry could not face them while telling them any of this.

"Mate, what-" Ron spoke and his voice was utterly devastated and it was Hermione who whispered softly "No, Ron, let him speak."

"You were given my responsibility. You, Albus Dumbledore, could have taken me in your custody. It was not like you did not own house elves to help you but you chose to ignore me. You chose to leave me to those horrid Dursleys." Harry spoke and his voice was shaking and sweet Merlin, Draco wanted to wrap the man in his arms. Harry's hands stopped him from uttering a single word, though.

"Harry, my child, please-"

"Don't you dare call me you child. The only father I have known is Severus Snape, because mine died when I was a baby." Harry stopped and breathed hard. But that as not what caught Draco's attention. Someone was breathing hard and the glass cupboards shook. Draco turned to find out that it was Severus Snape, Severus who was glaring darkly at Dumbledore, Severus who had loved Harry with his being, Severus who had devoted his entire life to Harry, who had even quarrelled with Lucius for Harry.

Harry continued nonetheless "They kept me in a cupboard like a piece of trash. They gave Dudley's old clothes to me. I had to wear Dudley's underpants just because I didn't have any. They starved me and lied to me about my parents and all the while you knew about it. You did nothing. You could have told Severus but you did not tell him."

Draco was practically trembling with rage and injustice. He turned and realized that Harry's best friends were completely devastated. Ron's face was completely white and Hermione was crying, her hand on her mouth.

"They neglected me for eleven years. I was not allowed to score better then Dudley and they punished me when I did. Can you imagine that they beat me with a stick when I had topped my class and Dudley had failed? I had no family at all." Harry spoke, his voice shaking.

"Harry, what's the purpose of this? Why are you-" Albus Dumbledore looked at them with moist eyes and Draco was sure that the man was feeling guilty over what he had done.

"Ron was the closest to brother I had ever had. Weasleys were the first family I had had. Mrs. Wealsey was the first woman who had hugged me. She was-is like a mother to me."

Draco could barely control himself. He gritted his teeth and wrapped his hands together from picking the table and throwing it on Dumbledore's head. He heard a whimper and turned his face to find that Ron had his wrist in his mouth.

"They wanted me to marry Ginny and I did not want to disappoint them. Draco wanted to meet me and I had tried everything to make him leave me alone but he was so persistent, so I got rid of him the only way I knew. Dursleys tortured and abused me my entire life and I hated them so I tortured him. I gave pain to him, unbearable, unimaginable pain and I was so sure that he would hate me after that. But then I realized that he was a veela and that there was no way out. I had to divorce Ginny. I had distanced myself from Ron and Hermione. I was drunk and I was mad and I was so immature. I tortured him again and this time I wanted to punish him for taking everything away from me. I had spent eleven years caged in my relatives's house and the next seven years to get rid of Voldemort and I wanted to be normal. I was twenty one and divorced and I was frustrated and angry at everything. I vented at Draco. I did not understand the meaning of sharing my sorrows with him because I had never shared my sorrows with anyone at all. I did not know that his love would heal me. I wanted to punish him so badly for taking away the only brother I had ever had, the only mother I had ever known. Ron had warned me that the Weasley family will leave Harry if I befriend Draco. I did not want to lose them and I lost them. I was so angry." Harry's hands were shaking now and so was Draco. He wanted to wrap Harry in his arms. All these years he had wondered what had cause Harry to torture him in such an inhuman manner. He had his answers now. Harry had treated him the only way he knew. He had been abused and beaten up by the Dursleys and had hated them and had humiliated and tortured him at The Three Broomsticks because he wanted Draco to hate him and he had been angry over losing the only family he had had. Severus had never expressed his love for Harry. A child needs the parent to express their love and Mrs. Wealey had expressed and Harry lost her because of him or he thought that he lost her.

"Harry, please. I apologise. Just stop." Albus's voice was barely above a whisper and Harry whispered in a soft voice now.

"You apologise. I have apologised a thousand times and I cannot forgive myself. My reasons are not enough to excuse the crime I committed. Draco is too loving and I am too lucky. Anyone else would have killed me. Why did you give such a life to me? I was mentally imbalanced. I was sick. I deserved to die for what I did to Draco. Your apology does not change anything at all. It does not make me forgive myself. It does not make me forget what I did. I will never get over what I did. Draco gets up and prepares breakfast for me and he makes my favourite dishes and I don't think that I deserve his love. He deserved a normal sane husband not a sick monster who turns him naked in front of a hundred people and spanks him up. You made me sick. You could have prevented it but you didn't. You wanted a perfect sacrifice and I was and had Draco not intervened to save, you would have sacrificed me. How can I forgive you when you have committed the same mistake with Marcus Riddle?" Harry stopped and his chest heaved for breath.

Draco wanted to scream but Severus got him there. Before Draco knew anything, Severus had walked forward and levitated the table and broken it into thousand pieces. Draco knew that it was very hard for Severus because he could easily have raised Harry. He would have given a normal and good life to Harry and he had wanted to. The rage that Severus felt was clear in eyes that burned with fury and he would have broken each and every piece of furniture in the office but Harry whispered "Please. Don't. It's over and I am happy now."

It was Ron who screamed at the top of his voice "Happy. HAPPY. I manipulated you. I manipulated your need for having a family. I took away your happiness and it would have been so easy. I could just have accepted Malfoy and told Ginny about your favouring guys but I DID NOT. I WAS SUPPOSED T0 BE YOUR BROTHER. I BEHAVED LIKE AN ASSHOLE AND DESTROYED EVERYTHING." The man was breathing hard now and was clutching his chest as if it was paining.

"Ron." Harry removed his hands from Draco's shoulders finally and reached for his friend.

"Mr. Weasley. Calm down." Severus spoke in a irritated voice.

"Ron. Breathe. Please breathe deeply. Calm down." Hermione tried but Ron did not calm down. His mouth opened and Hermione was rubbing his backa dn Harry was rubbing his hand and Dumbledore and Severus were trying to calm him down. It was surprising that it was Draco who was able to prevent the heart attack; he would have suffered, had Draco not acted quickly.

"You are forgiven, Weasley. Harry and I forgave you a long time ago. We will never forgive you if you die though because Harry still needs his best friend and children need their father and godfather. Dare not die. I expect better from you." He muttered as calmly as he could and he had forgiven Weasley because he knew that Weasley had realized his mistakes and he knew Harry had forgiven his best friend too.

XXXX

Harry stared in wonder as Ron calmed down. He loved Draco so bloody much at the present moment. It was difficult to express his love for the man in words and he wondered if his actions were enough to express it.

Ron calmed down and settled down in his seat, staring at his hands silently just like Albus Dumbledore. Severus and Hermione were staring at him and he just wanted to escape. He wanted to run away and he knew that it was not possible yet. So when Draco abruptly stood up and wrapped him into a warm embrace and Harry hid his burning face in Draco's neck, he accepted the warmth gladly. He was so bloody embarrassed. He hated his childhood and he hated talking about it with anyone at all. He knew that nothing was enough to forego what he had done but he wanted everyone to understand it. Kids did not need to know ye but Draco and others did.

"It's okay. We can talk about it later." Draco whispered and Harry nodded. Ron mumbled softly "Calm down, mate. We have complete life to discuss this."

"Yes, Harry. We can discuss it when you are comfortable and we can discuss it separately with you, each one of us I mean. You do not need to face everyone at once and you do not need to do it right now." Hermione said softly and Severus agreed smoothly "Yes, Mr. Potter, we will talk about this later. Right now, we need to speak about Marcus Riddle."

"I am sorry for what I did to you, Harry and I admit. I knew about his existence. I knew that he is Tom's and Bellatrix's child. " Albus spoke sighed sadly and looked at him with grave eyes.

TBC

 


	6. Challenge Accepted

_**Chapter-5** _

_**Challenge Accepted** _

"He is far too gone away to bring back. I tried my utmost to find him and raise him myself or give him to you. I know my own shortcomings." Albus Dumbledore looked sadly at Harry and Harry settled with Draco and his best friends again. Severus had also conjured a chair to sit. "All of you accuse me of manipulating Draco and you. You accuse me of treating everyone like chess pieces and playing with their lives. You also accuse me of using Severus and destroying his entire life to preserve yours and perhaps I am to be blamed for everything."

Everyone stared at the aged, yet wise headmaster in shock "I refuse to play any part in any war in future. Let us accept the truth, my children. I would rather chose to feed him poison along with his night juice and be done with it."

Draco's jaw dropped open at the statement and Harry stuttered "What do you- Ho-. What I mean is that we can't simply murder him in cold blood and that too when we know nothing about him."

"Agreed, headmaster. How can you expect us to let you kill him like this." Severus spoke in a sharp voice.

"That's what I was afraid of. I will not have any part in the war, then." Having said this the headmaster stood up.

"Professor Dumbledore, please-" Hermione started in concern and Ron continued "You are not thinking properly, professor."

"I have thought a lot about all this and I have made my decision. You accused me of playing with everyone's life and abusing my position as the head of order of Phoenix and Hogwarts's headmaster. Well, let's see, Mr. Potter, if you can do a better job. Let's see if you can win us the inevitable battle with Marcus Riddle and still hold your morals and relationships intact." The headmaster replied in a hard voice and Harry blinked and then stared and then blinked again, completely speechless.

"But I can't. Severus will be a better headmaster. I have my profession to consider." Harry stammered and blurted.

Draco who had been quiet till now spoke in a clear voice "Headmaster can not take it on his conscience, Harry. He has already ruined several years of Severus's life."

"I do not want to be the headmaster. Thank you very much." Severus snapped loudly at all of them, sealing Albus's decision.

"But you are more experienced." Ron looked at Severus and muttered.

"He can ruin my precious years, eh?" Harry silenced everyone with his bitter statement that was directed towards the old headmaster.

"You are young Harry-" Draco started and Albus interrupted him "And so are you. You shall be the Potions professor, Draco."

"But my potions" Draco's eyes widened dramatically and Albus whispered serenely "can be brewed in Hogwarts itself."

"But my apothecary-" Draco tried again and Dumbledore interrupted again "- is being managed by your secretary."

Draco breathed hard to control his fury and snapped "You have gone crazy. You can't just abandon us."

"I can and I have. This is my last decision as a headmaster. Harry shall succeed my position and Draco shall be the potions professor and all of you will keep Marcus Riddle from initiating another war or fight in the war to defeat to him. Let's see how you win the war without a few sacrifices. I will be present during the first feast of the year to make these announcements. " Albus muttered softly and walked towards the fireplace to floo away from the office.

Just when they had thought that the headmaster had left and Harry held his head in frustration and Draco glared at the ceiling, they heard the headmaster's voice.

"A last word to all of you. Tom knew nothing about love and his soul was split into seven parts. Marcus has a complete soul, unlike his father."

"Is this supposed to be a warning?" The angry voice belonged to Severus and Dumbledore's words reached them as the headmaster finally flooed over "A warning as well as a piece of advice. Depends on your perception."

XXXX

_Bloody Harry Potter with his darling husband and their kids. They and their sickeningly happy little family. What right do you have to have a nice little family after snatching mine away?_

Marcus could barely stop himself from snarling at Potter and his happy little family at dinner. Two days had passed since he had revealed his identity and he had studied Potter's kids and the Malfoy boy, Scorpius as much as he could. The eldest brat, James and the girl Lily rarely ever graced them with their presence during the past two days. They came and went, quite social, unlike the middle child, Albus Severus Potter who is a Veela and has Scorpius Malfoy as his mate. He also noticed that Albus was not even on talking terms with Scorpius. He avoided Scorpius at all costs and Marcus had noticed the green eyed boy looking at him with curious eyes more then once, though he had completely ignored Scorpius's countless attempts to catch his attention.

Marcus also noticed that Harry Potter was more attached to Albus then to any other kid. He couldn't bear to see Albus in pain, though he was not angry with Scorpius. Whatever Scorpius's fault had been, Draco Malfoy was very angry with his son, which was evident by the way he glared at him sometimes.

Marcus made notes of everything. After all he had to know the enemy to defeat him. The biggest thorns in his path would be Harry and Draco. He would have to get rid of them but he had to avenge his dad and mum's death before that. Today morning, they had gone to purchase books and supplies for the commencing year and Albus had been very friendly with him. It was clear that the other two had been told about his identity, seeing that James and Lily stayed out of his way during the entire trip. More then once, James had discouraged Albus from being so outspoken with him and all he had received for a glare for being rude and prejudiced. Half an hour into the trip, they had separated. Scorpius had gone his own way after giving him a dark glare and James and Lily had been off with their own friends. Of course, Albus had chosen to accompany him.

Marcus realized that the boy spoke too much. He went on speaking on and on and on and Marcus had always been a good listener. He had never really had a friend. He had kept Hugo Weasley under an imperious curse. They had not really been friends. It was kind of nice to have a friend for the first time in life, a real friend who talked to him and shopped with him and laughed with him. All he had had were ex-death eaters whom he had told about his existence and ordered them to ... do certain things.

He had enjoyed the trip. He had enjoyed Albus Potter's company, Albus who was the son was his worst enemy. When he had returned home and they had not found Harry and Draco anywhere in the house, everything had come to a halt in his mind.

_I can't afford to be sentimental. They have already started planning. I can't enjoy his company. Albus Potter has only one purpose and I will abandon him after that purpose is achieved. He is NOT A FRIEND. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE A FRIEND._

When they had gathered for dinner, Harry and Draco had stared hard at him and he had stared right back, his eyes hard and cold.

A voice screamed inside him. _I am not bloody scared of them._ And once he had their attention, he licked his lips, his eyes boring into the zipper of Albus's trouser. He glared hard and the zip trembled and unzipped a little. Of course, he had not really tried hard enough to attract Albus's attention. The stupid talkative boy was talking animatedly with his siblings and Scorpius was busy brooding and stabbing his noodles with his fork. It had been just enough to scare his fathers. He had stared at the zip again and it zipped up and then he winked at Harry and Draco. While Draco's eyes were frosty, Harry was positively fuming, his eyes right green and his cheeks red with restrained anger. He smirked and sucked on his finger like a lollipop and pressed it on his lips and mouthed " _Shhhhh."_

That was when they had glared at him hatefully and suddenly their angry lips widened in a smirk. They looked at each other before making the announcement that Harry Potter would be succeeding Albus Dumbledore and Draco would be the next potions professor. Which brought him to the present moment. They were conversing animatedly and Marcus was very angry and in a very uncomfortable position. He had taken a little sip of his juice and had subsequently spilled it because suddenly, his trouser zipper had vanished and his underpants were quiet visible. A minute later, his penis hardened of its own accord and he stared at his plate, swallowing hard. His underwear was noticeably tenting and a napkin was all that was hiding erection. Something invisible touched the tip and he moaned. All the while, he stared at his plate in embarrassment.

"Marcus, what's the matter? Are you fine?" It was Albus of course. Only he bothered to talk to him in this place.

He gulped and looked at the concerned boy and replied in a husky voice "Yes." He cleared his throat to speak properly but what escaped was a moan because his prick was suddenly squeezed hard.

"What-what's the matter, Marcus? Do you, um, need to go to, you know bathroom, or such?" Albus was bright crimson and Marcus found the sight cute but his current position forced him perceive the boy as sexy and his eyes drifted towards Albus's crotch. This time he suffered pinches on both his arse cheeks and he had to cover his mouth to stop the scream.

"No. No thanks. I am fine." He spoke after clearing his throat, very embarrassed. He found Scorpius fuming at both him and Albus and smirked, inwardly ofcourse. He had no intention to provoke the elders anymore.

"Okay. Do tell me if you need anything." Albus replied and smiled, his colour back to normal and Marcus nodded and smiled back. The smile had not been intentional and he was annoyed that the boy made him smile and turned him into a sentimental idiot. He did not have time for such stupid things. He had destroy them and their was only one way to avenge his parents. He would hit Potter and Malfoy, where it would hurt them the most. He would destroy their kids, Albus and Scorpius and their entire life.

he looked at the elders. Where on one hand, Harry was smirking at him, Draco was sneering at him in disdain. The blonde eyed the napkin kept in his lap and the napkin started shifting. Marcus's heart beats increased and he sweated profusely as he stared at the men.

Abruptly, the napkin stopped just when the movement would have revealed his tented and wet underpants.

They glared at him and Harry mouthed " _You are warned."_ which was continued by Draco's " _We are watching you."_

He nodded perceptibly and his trousers and prick returned to their original position. Mentally, he sneered and accepted their challenge. The cogs of wheels turned in his mind. Now he knew what he was up against. His father had had naïve, innocent Harry Potter and depressed Draco Malfoy as the enemies.

On the contrary, he was facing a very powerful Harry Potter and equally powerful Draco Malfoy who were no longer naïve or innocent or depressed. Their family and friends would join them eventually.

He had caught their weaknesses, though. Their kids, they were their major and only weaknesses and he would exploit them beautifully and will eventually achieve what he had come to Britain for.

XXXX

 


	7. And So It Begins.....

**_Chapter-6_ **

**_And so it begins... _ **

Albus had retired to his room for the day and was reading a novel written by a muggle writer. He had always been fascinated by muggle fantasy novels. He was so engrossed in the story that he did not hear the door being opened. It was a couple of minutes later that he realized that he was sitting in his shirt and boxers in front of Marcus. His eyes were positively predatory as trailed over his legs and Albus accioed his pyjamas to put them on. All the while, Marcus leaned against the wall and looked at his face with a weird expression on his face.

"What are you doing in my room at this time. It's quite late, if you haven't noticed." He snarled at the boy who was standing very causally, a soft smile on his face and his arms crossed on his chest as he stared at him.

"I wanted to speak to you." Marcus whispered, his back against the wall and his hands deep in his pockets.

"Then have the decency to knock. Just because I am friendly with you, it does not mean that I would let you sleep with me. I noticed the way you kept on leering at me in Hogsmeade." He snapped at the boy and pointed his chin towards the door, having taken a firm stance with crossed arms and angry eyes "Get out and knock the next time you need to speak to me."

Marcus extended his hands in defeat, a smile on his face "I apologise but I did knock. It seems that you were too engrossed in your book."

"You couldn't have waited till morning." Albus sighed deeply and then started speaking again "Look, Marcus, to be very frank, I am in love with Scorpius and you have to stop hitting on me like this. I abhor all these flirtations. I am not with him but that does not give you a chance to hit on me."

"I am not flirting with you. I am not hitting on you. I am just trying to be a friend. Is that so wrong? No one is really interested in talking to me at this place." His visitor muttered in an irritated voice and if he had wanted to gain Albus's sympathy, it worked because Albus was feeling sorry for him.

"Just remember to knock next time onwards, okay. I am not very fond of surprises." Albus said softly with a smile that grew and turned into a grin.

XXXX

Marcus stared at Albus's grin, completely taken by the beauty of the boy. He did not want o be attracted to the boy but he was. Albus was supposed to be a means to an end. Marcus was here because the first phase of his plan had begun. It was not because he wanted to be with him.

"Come on. Let's go for a walk. The weather is entirely too wonderful to remain inside." The green eye boy grabbed his cloak enthusiastically and looked at him. He was still looking at Albus in something akin to frustration, though it must not have been evident from his face.

"Okay. Let's go."

They walked out in comfortable silence. Marcus's hands were in his pockets and Albus was rubbing his hands to keep them warm.

"Why don't you just wear gloves or put your hands in your pockets." He asked, curious to know his answer.

Albus shrugged and muttered "No particular reason." but his eyes flashed with something for just a second and Marcus had just opened his mouth but Albus cut him off "Don't press."

He just nodded in acceptance and muttered "Okay. So tell me about Hogwarts."

He was very surprised when Albus asked him abruptly "Did you put Hugo under imperious?" and then stopped to face him with a very serious expression on his face. Marcus was so surprised when he felt the urge to spill everything to the boy in front of him. It was completely impractical and not to mention, very dangerous for his plans. For a moment, he wondered whether Albus had him imperioused but he decided against it. The green eyed boy was simply not that kind of a person. He was even more surprised when he realized he did not want to lie to him but he had to.

"Of course not. I did not even know that he was under imperious. It kind of disappoints me. The only friend that I had was under imperious." Marcus replied in a sad voice.

He was nowhere near sad, though. He was, in fact, proud of himself. He had managed to keep Hugo Weasley under Imperious for around two years. No one had managed this before, except for his own father perhaps. He had forced him to tell Marcus everything there was to know about the Potters and the Weasleys. Of course the boy did not know anything about Malfoys. The most beautiful thing was that Hugo did not even remember who had cursed. He would have laughed out loud, if Albus were not present with him. As it was, he masked his face and looked at Albus with melancholic eyes.

"Well, I could be your friend that is if you want." Albus Severus Potter, the heir to the Great Harry James Potter, vanquisher of his own father stuck his hand out for him and Marcus stared at it for a minute. It was really a very strange feeling. His insides had never felt so warm. No one had ever extended a hand for friendship to him. They had wanted to stick their hands inside his trousers and he had terrified them so much that they would perhaps never fuck anyone their entire life. They had wanted his money, the money that he had inherited from his parents and he had not let them manipulate him. It had been a constant war that he had fought with almost everyone who knew Lord Voldemort.

No one had ever wanted to be his friend, no one had ever looked at him with honest innocent bright eyes called him his friend and perhaps his was what made the difference. He stared at Albus's hand and took it in his and tried to smile "Friends. Yeah." and when Albus smiled brightly, so brightly that it hurt to see such honesty on his face and twinkle in his green eyes, Marcus turned his face away. He felt like breathing hard because he knew his purpose, his aim. He could not let anyone distract him from following its course and Albus's sweet and honest eyes made him want to- Marcus closed his eyes and breathed hard and deep because he couldn't let such thoughts enter his mind. He had to avenge his father's demise. He had to complete what his father couldn't. Marcus had never been attracted to many people in his life, even though he was a bi and had twice as many options. It was a bitter irony that Harry Potter's child was his undoing.

"Are you all right, Marcus?" Albus spoke and touched his forearm looked at him with vivid concerned green eyes. Marcus felt that he could get lost in them. They were so green and expressive. His feelings were clearly written in them. "Marcus. MARCUS."

"Yes. Yes I am listening. Your father would not exactly be happy with your decision to be my friend." He asked, looking into his vivid and startling green eyes.

Albus merely shrugged and started walking. Marcus hurried to keep up with the boy. "What does your shrug mean?"

"I will talk to him and I will make him understand that you are not your father, that you are not an incarnation of evil and that you deserve to live like Draco and Scorpius even if they are Lucius Malfoy's descendants." Albus spoke and shrugged again. He continued walking but Marcus's feet had frozen. He found himself so shocked that he could barely walk. No one had been able to shock him like this before. People and their reactions were fairly easy to read. Albus had not even bothered to ask him or check his true intentions.

Only when Albus realized that Marcus was still frozen somewhere behind him, did he back towards him and look at him with soft eyes "You are not, are you, like your father I mean?" and Marcus continued looking at him. He had learned to mask his emotions so well that perhaps Albus could not read his emotions or maybe he misinterpreted his face.

"No. Of course not." Marcus muttered and breathed and smiled or tried to smile but Albus had already turned and started walking again. Alarming bells were ringing in his mind because of his lie to Albus. This was new. He had lied thousand times before with no particular consequence.

"Keep up Marcus. Come on." He teased Marcus and Marcus hurried towards the boy after shaking himself from his stupor.

XXXX

Albus was confused as to what was going on in his head, so he decided to ask him, when he arrived at his side "What's the matter with you. You looked all frozen and shocked."

"Everyone who knew my identity expected me to be like my father. The fact that I do look like father's younger self does not help matters." He replied bitterly.

Albus huffed in annoyance "Sometimes you have to ignore people. Scorpius had to do it all the time. People hate his grandfather so much even though Lucius had changed so much after the war." Marcus stopped abruptly and looked at him with an indescribable emotion on his face.

"It's getting late. We must sleep now. I have to shop for some school robes and a robe for formal occasion so I have to wake up early tomorrow." Marcus changed the topic and started towards the house.

Albus sighed and started "Marcus, you can't ignore it forever. I know it must have pinched you. They were pretty rude today."

Marcus did not speak anything. He kept his face straight ahead and his hands deep in his pocket and increased his pace.

"Marcus. Wait. You are walking too quickly." He yelled but Marcus just increased his pace instead of slowing down. He held his forearm and forced him to stop and turn towards him. His eyes were angry red and Albus wondered the cause of his anger. He was surprised to feel the intensity of his anger.

Marcus yanked his arm back and snarled at him "Don't preach me, all right. I am tired and want to sleep. Will you bloody shut up for one minute?"

The sudden change in his behaviour took Albus by surprise and instead of shouting and yelling back, he crossed his arms and looked at him kindly "Why are you so furious and at whom?"

Marcus breathed deeply and closed his red eyes for a couple of seconds and when he opened them, his face bore the familiar mask again. "I apologise. It's quite late. Let us retire for the day, yes?"

Albus frowned. Marcus was really complicated to understand and he wondered why the boy always wore a mask on his face but he refrained from voicing his concern.

"Okay." He replied kindly and started towards the house beside him.

XXXX

Scorpius had just exited from the bathroom after taking his night shower when he saw Albus leaving the house with Riddle. His chest burned and his face was burning and his hands were trembling and belatedly, he found that it was anger that he felt. Why was Albus paying Riddle so much attention? Why did he bloody care? Even if he had a little fun with Riddle, so what? Scorpius had had his share of fun, hadn't he?

Initially, Scorpius had decided to retire for the day. He was in a habit of waking early but he felt and overwhelming urge to check whether Albus invited Riddle to his room for the night or not. His feet dragged his body towards the couch and he took read a magazine to pass the time.

Albus's smiling, sparkling eyes that were directed towards Riddle annoyed him to no end because Albus used to smile at him like that, only at him.

RIDDLE HAD NO BLOODY RIGHT TO STEAL HIM AWAY.

Half an hour later Albus returned with Riddle. He was rubbing his hands together to keep them warm. Why he never did put on his gloves was really beyond him. He froze and tried not to make any noise. He did not want to attract his attention. They entered silently and closed the door behind them. That was when Albus's eyes fell on him. They burned when they met his and he turned back towards Riddle.

"Walk me to my room, Marcus, won't you?" The green eyed boy whispered softly and Riddle replied "Okay."

They walked quietly and Scorpius's eyes followed them.

They were at Albus's door when it happened and it was Albus who initiated it. His room was just across from Scorpius's couch and his eyes were boring into his. Riddle was facing Albus, which meant that only his back was visible to Scorpius. Albus moved closer to Riddle and wrapped his arms around his neck. Scorpius had frozen, much like Riddle. It was obvious that Riddle had not expected Albus to take such an unexpected step.

Albus was as tall as Riddle and he looked into Riddle's eyes with soft green eyes and leaned forwards to kiss his lips. His arms were around Riddle's neck and his eyes were not closed as he kissed Riddle.

NO BLOODY RIGHT. Scorpius wanted to scream at him.

Riddle wrapped his arms around Albus's waist and Albus's eyes were boring into his. The green eyes were not soft. They had anger in them.

FUCKING HELL. Scorpius raged in the confines of his own mind and glared at Albus who continued kissing Riddle fiercly.

When Riddle held Albus's arse with his hand and pressed his groin into his and the kiss transformed from chaste to passionate, Scorpius breathed hard to stop the vicious growl from escaping his mouth. His nails were digging into the couch and his knuckles had turned white. He had never been so angry in his entire life. The kiss seemed to go on and on and on. They only stopped when Riddle pressed Albus against the wall and started kissing him hungrily.

"Marcus. Enough. Please. It's late. I have to sleep. Goodnight." Albus spoke and pecked Riddle's lips before retreating to his room and closing the door, but not before glaring at Scorpius fiercely and showing his well kissed and swollen lips.

Riddle was so dazed which was perhaps the reason he did not notice Scorpius walking towards him with vengeance in his eyes.

"Riddle." He growled and Riddle's eyes cleared a little. He stared at Scorpius for a few seconds and joined two and two. It was obvious that he had realized everything because his eyes turned cold and dark and they bore into his own.

"What?" He drawled in a cold voice.

Scorpius breathed thrice to calm down and then drawled in a mocking voice "I hope you know that Albus was just trying to make me jealous."

"I don't care. Now get out of my way." Riddle's voice was cold when he uttered these words and Scorpius moved away for him, gazing at his retreating back.

_Riddle is definitely up to something._

The next days' Prophet proved him right.

XXXX

_**ATTACK IN AN ORPHNAGE IN LITTLE HANGLETON** _

_**A very shocking and terrifying incident occurred last night. In Great Hangleton, an orphanage was built which was especially for Muggleborn and halfblood children, though pureblood children were taken their too. Sometime during the night, the orphanage was attacked by death eaters. No one knows the number. They stupefied the guard and matrons of the orphanage and murdered five muggleborn children using 'Avada Kedavra'. A ten year old child was found bound and gagged near the dead bodies. The next part is really horrifying.** _

_**It seems that they had left him unharmed because they wanted to show him their dark marks which were burning and wanted him to inform everyone about it. The dark mark had been all over the sky after the attack over the orphanage.** _

_**These dark marks had vanished when the Dark Lord had fallen. On interrogating Mr. Severus Snape and Mr. Lucius Malfoy, the reporter realized that their dark marks had not shown any appearance.** _

_**The aurors are trying to catch the death eaters who were responsible but have not found anything so far...** _

Marcus read the news and felt a smirk stretch over his face but he schooled his features when others arrived at the table and placed the newspaper on the table for Harry and Draco.

Their reactions were noticeable. The former turned completely white and latter sneered at him furiously. Nevertheless, he continued eating innocently.

"Dad, what happened?" Albus's soft voice brought Marcus's thoughts to a halt. The kiss had completely slipped his mind. Though it had been for the sake of making Malfoy jealous, he was completely aware of his own reaction to that kiss. With a jerk, he realized that his feelings for the green eyed boy must not extend further then the purpose Albus needed to serve.

He continued eating and let them discuss the article. He could practically feel three pair of boring in his skull but he did not look up at them, though he felt a twinge of something indescribable when Albus held his shoulder and defended him.

XXXX

Harry had known the boy was definitely up to something. His anger flared when Albus placed a hand on Marcus's shoulders and glared at him "Stop giving him that look dad. He is not responsible for the attack. He was with me last night when the attack must have happened."

"Albus, you -" Draco started when Albus cut him off

"Scorpius was sitting on the couch when we returned from the walk and I kissed Marcus. You can ask him." Albus glared at them furiously and for a moment, Harry's blood turned completely cold at the thought of his son keeping any kind of sexual relations with Marcus Riddle. He looked at Scorpius questioningly. His eyes were burning with hatred as he gritted his teeth and nodded. The nod answered his unspoken question and Draco spoke in a highly alarmed voice "Albus, you have to be careful with this boy. Your anger at Scorpius is making you take hasty decisions."

"Mr. Malfoy, look-"

"ENOUGH." Harry's voice boomed and everyone fell silent at once. He squeezed Draco's thigh and spoke softly "Draco please have breakfast. We will talk about his later."

XXXX

 


	8. Repentance

_**Chapter-7** _

_**Repentance** _

Scorpius had never known that Albus's relationship with Riddle could affect him so much. But it did. The lunch had been silent after Mr. Potter had asked everyone to be quiet. They had left the house and the fact that Riddle's eyes followed them did not go unnoticed by him. Had Albus not been lost in his own thoughts, he might have noticed too.

As soon as Riddle turned his attention to the table again, table that consisted of Albus, Riddle and him, Scorpius returned his attention to his own breakfast, attempting to cut the pizza with the knife.

"Albus, will you accompany me? I need to shop for the school robes and I am not really aware of shops –" Lie was dripping from his voice and of course Albus fell for it, because he smiled and replied "Of course. Give me ten minutes."

Scorpius tried so hard to keep his face expressionless and his anger in control but Albus's next sentence was bound to make him lose any control he had attempted to keep on himself.

"On second thoughts, why don't you help me chose the jeans and trousers I can wear today. I am absolutely rubbish in matching colours." Albus whispered and continued as if he was trying to pour salt on his wounds "You can wait in my room till I get ready."

Scorpius snapped and his plate cracked in half from the effect of his rage. How he wanted Riddle to take the stupid plate's place. Nevertheless, he kept his eyes lowered so that he did not hex the stupid red eyed boy into next week. He had to look up when instead of Riddle's reply; he heard a soft sound of a kiss.

Albus had initiated the kiss, yet again. His eyes glared at Scorpius as he pressed his right hand on the back of Riddle's neck, deepening the kiss and his other hand crawled towards Riddle's groin.

Scorpius's breathing became laboured and he held the knife so hard that it dug in his skin and his palm started bleeding. The other hand that held a fork dug the fork in the table but it was simply not enough. His instincts screamed ' _MINE'_ and he still could not do anything.

 _MINE._ His mind screamed but he stayed silent, his eyes glaring back at Albus and teeth gritting in fury.

He wanted to rip Riddle apart when Riddle grasped Albus's arse and squeezed it hard and all the while Albus stared hard in his eyes, challenging him, mocking him, punishing him. Even the sight of blood trickling from Scorpius's palm did not deter him.

"Could you continue this elsewhere? It's simply disgusting." Scorpius had wanted to growl but all that escaped was a pained whimper because even though he was angry, he was more pained for Albus because the green eyed boy was simply too naive to notice that Riddle was manipulating him and had refused to listen to father and Mr. Potter. Scorpius was afraid that Riddle would use Albus for sex. He was afraid Albus would cross the limits of his own ethics and morals to prove his point to Scorpius and it would be close to impossible to bring him back at a later point.

So when Albus backed off with a quick and soft peck on Riddle's bitten and swollen lips and whispered "I am waiting." And then smirked mockingly at him, Scorpius simply lowered his head in worry. When Riddle looked at him and licked his well kissed lips and smirked "He is quite delicious. Is he good in bed?" a stab of jealousy made it difficult for him to breath. He followed his instincts and the fork and knife flew towards Riddle's smirking face. He was quite surprised when Riddle vanished both with a quick spell and smirked again "You see it does not matter that he is just trying to make you jealous. Slowly, I will lure him to me and make him mine. He will forget all about you Malfoy. All he will remember and know will be me.

Scorpius growled "I know that it was you. You have somehow marked the death eaters again and it was on your orders that they attacked the orphanage. The ministry will get to you, you know."

"What makes you think that it was me? Of course, it wasn't me." Riddle feigned innocence and Scorpius glared at him "Do not manipulate Albus. Do not involve him in your dirty games."

"I will have you know that it was Albus who had initiated the kiss both times. Poor you. Malfoy. I will surely tell you about the night I spend with him, don't worry. I will give you a detailed description, eh?"

"Marcus." Albus called and Riddle replied "Coming."

Then he turned towards Scorpius and mocked him "I have got to go. You see, he is waiting for me and I do not want to keep him waiting."

The prat left, having said this, leaving a very jealous and angry Scorpius Malfoy in his wake.

XXXX

Albus waited for Marcus in his room. He had to clear his intentions to him. It was utterly necessary. Marcus entered after a knock and was surprised to find him completely dressed, though he schooled his features in a second.

"Look, Marcus. I just wanted to make him jealous and I never let anyone except Scorpius chose clothes for me. In fact, I do not let anyone else touch my wardrobe at all. I wanted to clear my intentions to you. Do not expect anything else from me." He blurted everything out at once and Marcus's red eyes became hard, as expected.

"So, you are just using me?" He spoke coldly and Albus gulped before nodding "No. It's not like that and do not act like a hurt puppy. You are not attached to me at all. We just met a few days ago. So just do not, you know try anything, when we are alone or unless I start anything myself."

For a moment, Marcus stared at him and tension was thick in the room.

"What if I want to date you?" A soft voice escape Marcus's very well-kissed lips and Albus stared at him. Marcus seemed surprised at himself. His red eyes were wide and it was like he wanted to cover his mouth in shock but he kept them at his sides.

"That depends. What does dating exactly entail?" He asked him in an equally soft voice.

Marcus shrugged and leaned against the wall, his hands deep inside his pockets "I don't really know. I have never dated at all. We could go out to eat and walks and such."

Albus cleared his throat and looked at his hands "I just wanted to keep the sexual aspect out for now."

"Unless you want to make him jealous, that is, right?" Marcus asked him and Albus nodded. "Okay."

"Marcus, were you responsible for the attack in Great Hangleton?" Albus asked him abruptly, looking directly into his eyes and Marcus looked at him with a weird expression for a couple of minutes, after which he replied in a whisper "No. I am not."

Albus should never have trusted him, but he did. He shouldn't have used Marcus to make Scorpius jealous because playing with love was always a dangerous game and Albus was aware of the fact that he would never love anyone but Scorpius.

The next words that Albus uttered were his first mistake and he would always regret these words in future.

"Yes, I would like you to date me."

Marcus smiled and for the first time, the smile seemed genuine. Albus smiled back.

XXXX

Scorpius had retired to his room after breakfast. He wanted to talk to father about his own potions lab but couldn't gather the courage. Breakfast had made it even harder for him to ask father for anything at all.

"Scorpius, could I have a word?" Father knocked and asked him in a voice that he kept blank. Scorpius swallowed. His father was very different from his grandfather. Grandfather cursed and scolded when he was angry at Scorpius and he had even grounded Scorpius sometimes. Father was not like that. He punished in a way that made Scorpius guilty of his mistake. He closed his eyes and resigned himself to his father's anger.

"Yes, father."

"Meet me in Harry's study please." Father demanded without even bothering to open the door, which meant that he was quite angry at him.

"Okay. I am coming." Scorpius muttered and father had already left by the moment he opened his door.

He stuck his hands in his trousers pockets and walked towards Mr. Potter's study. It was good that Albus had perhaps already left with Marcus. He did not want to see them together again.

He knocked twice and called "Father."

"Enter." Came Mr. Potter's rich voice and Scorpius sighed in relief.

When he entered, though, the thick and tensed atmosphere made him lick his lips nervously. Mr. Potter was sitting the table, his head in his hands and father was sitting at the fireplace, his eyes at the fire.

"Hello, Mr. Potter." He whispered at the door.

"Please call me Harry, Scorpius." Harry spoke and Scorpius nodded.

"Please enter and lock the door behind you."

Scorpius did and waited for father to say something but father didn't speak even a word, keeping his eyes averted.

"Sit." Scorpius sat across from him and waited.

"Things are getting out of hand. Albus is not ready to listen to me. We are under a suspicion that Marcus is in fact behind the attack. He is dragging Albus with him and he is-" Harry folded his hands on the table and looked at him worriedly and father interrupted him with a sharp "angry with you because you were fucking around, because you could not keep it in your trousers or talk to Albus about your desires and had to sleep with everything on two legs." and though it was not a shout, it was like a slap on Scorpius's face and he looked on the table with shame. For the first time, Scorpius was ashamed with himself. Seeing that he was so jealous of Riddle and angry with Albus for keeping relationship with Riddle, Albus must have been beyond furious with him for sleeping around. How could he have been so bloody stupid?

"Draco, I am talking to him. Please be quiet if you must be so crass about it." Harry admonished father lightly and father snapped at him "You will not stop me from scolding my own son."

"I most certainly will. I am your husband and have every right to intervene." Harry spoke softly which a great feat was seeing that father's voice was sharper with Harry then him "and you are not scolding him. You are insulting him."

"Mind your own business, Harry." Father's practically shouted and glared at Harry's skull but Harry kept his eyes on Scorpius, his voice soft and gentle and his eyes cautious. "You and Scorpius are my business and you won't stop me by shouting at me. I have known you for years and you can vent your anger at me but this is no way to talk to your own son."

"Father always-" Father started and Harry interrupted him with a blank "Lucius used the cane on you before the war. The next thing you will do would be bending Scorpius on your knees and give him a spanking and we both are well aware that such delicate matters cannot be resolved through such drastic measures."

Scorpius was quite mesmerised by Harry and his patience. The more his father got angry, the more he became gentle, except for the moment when he had spoken about the usage of cane.

"Please don't fight." Scorpius decided to intervene before it was too late because his father looked quite murderous now. He spoke softly and father averted his eyes again towards the fireplace and tried to control his anger. Harry simply smiled at him, his eyes twinkling merrily "Oh! We are not fighting. Don't you worry."

Again, Scorpius looked at him in wonder and felt a stab of jealousy because he wanted to achieve this kind of relationship with Albus, but of course he had to go and ruin all his chances to have any relationship with the green eyed boy at all.

"So, like I was saying, Scorpius, Riddle is as charming and deceitful as his own father. He smiles at Albus and smirks behind his back. Albus will prevent us from taking any steps against him. We will have to stop Albus from getting close to him and we don't have much time. They are out on a date as we talk." Harry spoke to him with serious eyes.

Scorpius closed his eyes to control his anger. He opened his eyes with a jerk when a hand slammed on the table suddenly.

"I am so bloody disappointed in you, Scorpius. You just had to sleep around. You have made things infinitely difficult for us." Father spoke in a cold voice, full of anger that his eyes portrayed. "You don't deserve him. You don't deserve his forgiveness."

"Draco, it's not for us to decide it. It is Albus's wish and it's up to Scorpius to mend his ways." Harry spoke softly.

"You couldn't tell Albus that you wanted him so you slept around. This is not how a relationship works. He is using Albus and it is just because of you." Father shouted at him, ignoring Harry completely. He was standing beside Harry's chair, his hands on the table and his eyes glaring at him.

"Draco. Calm down."

"Albus should punish you for what you have done. Bloody SEX MANIAC. THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE. JUST TELL ME AND I WILL PURCHASE A PLAYBOY FOR YOU, IF YOU JUST WANT YOUR DESIRES SATISFIED. YOU MOST CERTAINLY DON'T DESERVE ALBUS AFTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE."

"DRACO." Harry finally shouted at father and Scorpius literally trembled. Father was literally angry at him. His chest was heaving for breath and his fingers were digging in the table. It seemed that he wanted to slap Scorpius and was barely controlling himself. The table was vibrating from father's angry magic and Scorpius sat very still, his eyes on his lap. He had never seen father so angry.

"Are you listening to yourself? He is just a boy and he did not know the consequences. There was no one he could have spoken to at that time. He has never had anyone to teach him such morals. Severus and Lucius can only teach so much." Harry breathed and tried to reason with father.

"I can barely control myself from-" Father was not looking at Harry and his voice very controlled. Scorpius could see that he was controlling himself from shouting again.

"I know that. If you resort to those measures, we will lose him completely. Corporal punishments distance children from their parents. I should know that and you should too. You could take the stick and beat him and he would not stop you but he would not listen to you again. You have to control yourself. Albus is a big boy. We can only guide him. We cannot live his life for him, just like we can only guide Scorpius. Please calm down." Harry spoke so softly and his voice so soothing that Scorpius stared in wonder. His father's anger stood no chance of course. He breathed and nodded and closed his eyes and breathed again "Okay. I will let you talk to him. I am not exactly behaving rationally."

"I wish I can have a relationship like yours with him." The words escaped Scorpius's mouth without his permission. He had been thinking the very same words.

Very slowly, Harry's face lit and his lips stretched into a soft smile "You can. Scorpius, I do not know how to stop Albus from getting too close with him. He is very stubborn and is not listening to any of us. I am afraid Marcus will lure him to dark arts."

"I will apologise to him. I can empathise with him now." Scorpius whispered and Harry nodded "Keep an eye on him, okay. Tell me if you think something is wrong with him. I will try to talk to him as well."

Scorpius nodded and he noticed that father just stared at the ceiling.

When he was at the door, he whispered "I am sorry, father."

"Don't try to fool me with your words. Neither am I Albus, nor Harry. I believe in actions, not words." Father replied back and he whispered "I wanted to have a - a potions lab to practice my potions and make come experimental ones. Could I-"

"I will get it prepared till your Easter holidays. Now leave us in peace." Father replied and before he closed the door, he heard Harry's soft voice "You are too strict with him."

"You are too soft with him. I-" Came his father's reply and he practically ran to his room. He needed to think. He needed his Albus back.

The sight that greeted him when he passed Albus's room chilled his blood, though and he froze.

Albus had pushed Riddle against the wall and held his arms above his head. He was kissing the red eyed boy hungrily and Scorpius had never been more jealous in his life. He heard a disappointed gasp behind him and he knew that it was his father and then he practically ran inside his room and locked it.

 _Sweet Merlin. How am I going to bring him back?_ The lump that had been in throat for the past few days grew more profound and he slid down the door until his arse hit the floor and started sobbing in his hands. It was his entire ruddy fault.

_XXXX_

 


	9. First step towards hell

_**Chapter-8** _

_**First step towards hell** _

Albus found Marcus very attractive. He was quiet and intense and mysterious and Albus found him very sexy. Every moment was exciting with Marcus like it had not been with Scorpius at all. Albus found himself drowning in his red eyes whenever their eyes met. Marcus looked at him as if he wanted to ravish him and It made him shiver and it made him hard and he wanted to pin him to the wall and kiss him until all he remembered was Albus.

Their date had been very pleasant. Marcus had shopped for some school robes and some formal robes and Albus had purchased some school robes as well, though he couldn't find any formal robe of his choice for the ball. They had kissed on reaching back and he was happy.

Scorpius was deteriorating in front of his eyes and yet Albus couldn't find it in himself to approach the boy. It was not even about forgiving him anymore. It was just that Marcus was attractive and Albus realized that he did not want to leave the boy.

Scorpius had stopped talking to him at all. Suppers were completely silent. Lily and James had stopped returning. They stayed at Rose's place and Scorpius looked at nothing except his own lunch, though he barely ate it at all. It was not like it did not worry Albus. It did but not enough to leave Marcus.

"Albus." Albus heard and for a moment he was confused since Scorpius barely talked to him at all now. They were having dinner and he looked up at him. "Yes."

"Ummm. Did you get the robe you had been searching for the ball?" Scorpius asked, his face lowered instead of facing Albus.

Albus sighed in concern and replied softly "No." He felt Marcus bend a little and kiss his cheeks and he winced when he saw Scorpius clench his fists silently. Still, he couldn't stop himself from tilting his face a little and kissing Marcus's red lips. His lips were as red as his eyes and he had not been able to control himself in the face of his beauty. Albus had spent the previous two days kissing him in every nook and corner of the house. He was disappointed to see that he had driven dad and Draco out of the house because of this. They had not been able to tolerate his relationship with Marcus and had left with a flimsy excuse of having some meetings at Hogwarts. Even his dad's and Draco's disapproval was not enough to leave Marcus.

"I am waiting outside for you." Marcus whispered and Albus smiled in obvious excitement "Will you teach me today?"

Marcus had told him about the imperious curse. Of course, Albus had known about it and had been curious too. He had been hesitant about asking anyone about it. But he had wanted to learn the curse. Not only the Imperious curse, but the other dark curses too. He had wanted to learn them. So what if they were dark curses? It was not like he intended to use it on a human being.

"Yes" Marcus smiled at his enthusiasm and he smiled back, having completely forgotten about Scorpius's presence.

Scorpius cleared his throat and with a start, Albus realized that he was not alone at the table. He started sweating and his fingers shook.

"What was he talking about? What is he going to teach you Albus?" Scorpius asked quietly and his eyes bore in Albus's skull. Albus kept his face lowered towards his plate.

"Nothing that concerns you." Albus replied sharply.

"What type of an answer is this?" Scorpius replied sharply and Albus cut him off "One that you needed to listen." glaring at him furiously.

Scorpius's eyes softened a little and he started "Albus, I just-. I know you don't think I love you." Albus snorted and Scorpius continued "but I do. So much. I know there is something wrong with you today. It is as clear as day in your eyes. Please don't do anything you cannot revert, that you would regret doing forever."

Abruptly, Albus stood up, slammed his hands on the table and screamed, trying to divert Scorpius's mind away from the topic at hand "Mind your own business for once, will you? I did not ask you even once about your-"

"You know, as well as me, that this is not about my sleeping around. This is not about my betrayal or my infidelity. It was wrong and I admit it. If you will have me scream at the top of my voice in the ball, I will. I am sorry and I am ready to apologize a thousand times, but this is not about it." Scorpius spoke, cutting him off and Albus stared at him, stunned speechless. Scorpius had never really admitted it. He had never been truly sorry for hurting Albus. For the first time, it seemed that he was genuinely guilty.

"What do you-" Albus started and Scorpius cut him off again "And I know that whatever I say or want won't deter you from what you want to do. You are as stubborn as your dad and I love you for that. Just listen to me Albus. Whatever might happen, whatever, you understand, when it becomes too much for you, come to me. You will find me waiting for you."

What could have Albus said to that. He just stared, frozen as Scorpius stood up and left the room after a brief, sad look that cut into Albus's heart but still Albus did not heed to his words. As it happened later, he should have stopped when he had time.

XXXX

Scorpius followed Albus under Harry's invisibility cloak. He cast _'Quietus'_ on his feet and hid behind the bushes to spy on Albus and Marcus.

Marcus was standing behind Albus. He had his arms wrapped around Albus's waist from behind. One of his hands rested on Albus's stomach and other pointed a wand towards a very nervous looking cat. Scorpius wanted to murder Marcus in cold blood when he saw the man caress Albus's belly and kiss his neck softly but he controlled himself and stayed put.

"Pay attention to my wand moments and my voice." Marcus whispered seductively, his lips on Albus's neck and the green eyed boy shivered.

How Scorpius wished he could rip Marcus apart.

HOE DARE HE?

"Hmmmm. How am I supposed to pay- sweet merlin, don't do that. All right now please show me." Albus whispered back, his green eyes very excited.

"As you wish, my lord." Marcus muttered in a very strange voice and Albus laughed "yes, my darling minion, please do as I say and teach the curse to me."

 _"Imperio"_ Marcus cast and ordered the cat to stand on two legs and the little creature tried, its front legs hanging awkwardly in the air and its eyes, terrified.

"Oh yessssss." Albus hissed and Scorpius stared in shock. His hands started shaking when he saw excitement on Albus's face. He had never known that Albus had wanted to learn the unforgivable curses.

"You see, you have to mean it when you cast it. I am sure you will be able to do it at the very first try. I am going to release it now. _Finite Incantatum._ "

Albus tilted his face back and kissed Marcus lightly on his lips and Scorpius wanted to burst Marcus apart. He wanted to tear him limb from limb for corrupting Albus this way.

" _IMPERIO_ " Albus shouted and the curse was so strong that the creature looked in pain. "Jump." He ordered and the poor cat started jumping. "Slam your head on the tree." and the cat did. "Keep on doing it until you bleed." and the cat did. The poor creature kept on hitting the tree until it bled and all the while Marcus kissed and sucked and nipped Albus's neck and Albus laughed at the cat and moaned in pleasure under his ministrations. Scorpius felt sick and wanted to puke but he had to see the extent to which Albus and Marcus would go tonight.

" _Finite Incantatum_ " Albus finally spoke and the poor creature fell down on the grass. It bled to death just like Scorpius had known it will. Suddenly, it was too much for him and he did not want to stay and he would have gone. Albus's next sentence stopped him.

"When are you going to teach me the other two?" The excitement in his voice shook Scorpius and Merlin he had never known that Albus had wanted to learn these curses.

"You want to learn the last one too?" The red eyed boy asked, his red eyes gleaming.

Albus grew silent at that and muttered "Okay. Perhaps not the last one." Scorpius sighed in relief. "But Cruciatus. I do want to learn it."

"May I know why?" Marcus asked and Scorpius was as curious to hear Albus's answer as the red eyed boy was.

"I just want to learn. I have no intentions to cast it on any human being so I am not really evil. Just having the knowledge does not make me bad. I just want to know..."

Scorpius turned and left the garden, as silently as he had arrived. He needed to think. He needed guidance and he could no ask either Harry or father. They would panic and he did not want that.

He went into his room and locked it from inside. After that, he settled down on his bed, his pounding head in his hands. The thing was that he could not really stop Albus yet. Albus would not listen to him at all. Stopping him would only aggravate him at this point.

Telling father and Harry would constitute risking Albus because their panic might alert Marcus and Scorpius was sure that Marcus would manipulate Albus for his own ends. He would have to bring Albus back quietly and subtly. Forcing him would not work. It would only drive him away.

_Yes. Yes. I will keep an eye on him. I will prevent him from doing anything illegal or hurting anyone and if I have to burn myself in the process, then so be it._

Having decided this, he folded the cloak and hid it in his wardrobe before lying down to sleep.

XXXX


	10. The Cruciatus Curse

_**Chapter-9** _

_**The Cruciatus Curse** _

"He is just a muggle. He is old and poor and would anyways have died in a couple of days. How does it matter if we use a cat or a muggle? At least the cat could live longer." Marcus argued for the third time and Albus found himself nodding. Yesterday, he had learnt Imperious and had successfully cast it on several animals since then. He was pretty excited for learning the Cruciatus curse too but he had promised himself that he won't cast it on a human being. But when they stood in front of an old muggle man who was sitting on the path, his back against the tree and his mouth wide open, he found himself agreeing with Marcus. The man was old and poor and won't last long like this. He would be a better subject then an animal.

Albus nodded and looked at Marcus "All right. How will you lure him?" They were standing at a safe distance from him. The path was empty. Their was just one little problem that troubled Albus. "Marcus, dad and Draco are home today."

Marcus merely laughed "Oh! Don't worry darling." and kissed Albus lightly on his lips "I will lure him after they go to sleep."

Albus smiled a little at the kiss and nodded "All right then. Let's go home for now. You can bring the - the subject later."

After one last look at the sleeping old man, Albus left the place and went back to his home, hand in hand with Marcus. He did not see a lean figure remove a cloak and drink a potion after dropping the man's hair in it. Neither did he see the figure shoo the man away from that place. He retreated to his home with Marcus, kissing him on the way every now and then, happy in his fool's paradise, unknown that he was weaving a path to hell.

XXXX

"Dad, where is Scorpius? He does not miss dinner." Albus asked dad. Dad had stopped looking at him at all. Draco spoke to him at times but he spoke sternly and Albus did not understand why. He did not understand their problem with Marcus. He was really glad that dad had at least returned to have dinner with Draco. He missed them. Presently, though, he was worried for Scorpius who was missing and had been missing since afternoon. Albus wondered where the boy was.

"We are not his keepers, Albus. Why would he tell us before leaving? Why do you care, anyways? You are rather busy these days." Dad snapped at him in an irritated tone and Albus looked at his plate before sighing "Is it necessary, dad? I know that you don't like him. But-"

"It's not about mere likes or dislikes. It's not about his father, either. He was behind that attack in Great Hangleton, whether you believe it or not." It was Draco who had intervened and Albus sighed in annoyance "You have no proof of that. You are just imagining things, Draco."

"You will call me Mr. Malfoy, Albus and do not take that tone with me. You don't want to see the consequences of misbehaving with me." Mr. Malfoy narrowed his eyes and warned him dangerously.

"But I thought - Scorpius- I" Albus stammered and Mr. Malfoy abruptly stood up "That was before you involved yourself with a criminal, an insane criminal. I will be in my room Harry. Good night, Mr. Potter."

"Dad-" Albus started but dad got up and shook his head before taking Mr. Malfoy's and his plate to his room.

Albus sighed and closed his eyes, irritated beyond belief. He looked at Scorpius's empty seat and sighed again. Something nagged at him. Where the hell was Scorpius? He waited for fifteen more minutes before getting up and walking towards Scorpius's room. Marcus was probably waiting for him with the subject and Albus was getting late.

He knocked the door before entering the room. The room was empty and the room was filled with Scorpius's perfume and Albus felt as if he was coming back home. It was a dangerous thought, considering his relationship with Marcus. But he could not stop himself from walking to Scorpius's bed and sitting on it. Neither could he stop himself from hugging his pillow and breathing deeply. The pillow smelled just like Scorpius and it was heavenly. He had missed Scorpius so very much. But he couldn't back off now, not when Marcus was teaching him so much. Scorpius would never teach him such things. He would never let Albus learn dark curses. He was boring and Albus wanted some excitement in life. Marcus brought that excitement. Shaking his head, he stood up and picked up Scorpius's jacket from the chair and hugged it tightly. His heart felt heavy. It had been so long since Scorpius had hugged him and he missed him so bloody much.

He returned the jacket to it's place on the chair and walked towards the door wondering why his heart was sinking. Even as he switched the lights off and closed the door and walked towards Marcus, his heart pounded and he did not know why. His instincts screamed at him to stop. Something, some very base instinct was screaming.

_Stop. Don't do this._

Albus couldn't stop, though. He wanted to learn Cruciatus, didn't he. It was just a poor muggle, a muggle who was already dying. He would just be a little injured. He was just learning, that's it. He did not have to injure the man permanently. Then why did it seem that he was doing something very wrong, that he would never be able to forgive himself for what he was about to do.

He did not listen to his instincts and walked towards Marcus.

"Hey." Marcus was waiting for him. The man's left arm was bound to the trunk of the tree and he was looking at him very strangely. He had expected the man to plead and beg him to have mercy. The old man just looked at him, though and Albus stared back, waiting for the begging to begin.

"Hello. So he is the subject. Was it difficult to lure him." Albus asked and dropped a chaste kiss on Marcus's lips.

"Surprisingly easy." Marcus murmured and they turned their attention to the man who was sitting quietly, his gaze unwavering and sharp on Albus.

The man had a dirty beard and had sad eyes. He had a dark weak face and was wearing rags. His body was weak and starved. Albus looked at the man's face for a moment longer and then turned towards Marcus "Shall we start, then."

Red eyes gleamed and his lips upturned in a smirk. "Yessss." He hissed and Albus shivered. He had wondered if Marcus was a parselmouth like him. Of course, he was, considering that he was Voldemort's only heir. "Pay attention to my wand moments. "

Albus nodded and Marcus hissed, his wand pointed at the quiet man "Crucio" The change in the man's calm demeanour was instantaneous. The man started screaming and shouting in pain and Albus felt numb. Tears streamed down the man's eyes when Marcus hissed again "Crucioooo."and he moaned in pain.

"Come on, Now you have to give it a try."

Albus nodded and pointed his wand at the man. He was whimpering in pain and screaming, his hand on his head and his body doubled over. "Cruc-Cruc" Albus stammered and Marcus spoke soothingly "You have to mean it, Albus. Try again and mean it this time. Close your eyes and feel the desire to hurt this muggle and you will be successful. He is nothing but a burden on earth, Albus. He does not deserve to live. He is a useless pathetic excuse for a human being."

Albus knew that Marcus was wrong. He knew it at heart but he did not allow his heart to dictate his decisions and shouted "CRUCIOOOOO."

The man screamed and screamed and Albus laughed "I did it." and shouted again "CRUCIO. CRUCIOOOOOOO."

The man's screams and moans and Marcus's infectious laughter fuelled his enthusiasm and he shouted again "CRUCIOOOOOOO."

The man was a mess by now and Albus did not want to be the reason of the man's death so he decided to stop. "I have learnt the curse now." Albus muttered and then opened the man's bound arm. Something ached inside him and he wondered what it was. He tried to ignore it but the man looked at him with pain in his eyes and the feeling became more profound.

"We must -" Marcus started and Albus intervened sharply and he knew that he had spoken in a very dominating tone "No. Let him go. I want you to some with me. I want to fuck you tonight. Come on. Lead the way."

Albus was mesmerised at himself. Where had the last line come from. "I want to bind your arms and fuck you from behind." Albus almost covered his mouth when such debauched words escaped it. His eyes drifted towards the man who was looking at him with so much pain that Albus shivered. He felt guilty and he did not want to feel guilty. He needed a distraction and he glared at Marcus. "Are you deaf? Lead the way. Don't you understand. Go to my room and undress. Lay down on your stomach and wait for me. I want your legs spread."

He looked at the man again in irritation. He was looking at him quietly and Merlin, the pain in his eyes astounded Albus. Why would he be in so much pain. It had been, what seven times perhaps. Marcus had still not moved from his spot and he glared at him.

"Albus, we have not slept together yet even once. Are you sure?" Marcus asked with unsure eyes and Albus's patience finally wore thin.

"You don't understand, do you?" He snapped and stomped towards the red eyed boy. With a very angry hand he grabbed his hair and pulled his head towards his side, baring his neck and the he bit his neck hard. He bit it so hard that he was sure that it would leave bruises and then backed off.

He turned towards the man who was looking at him angrily now and looked at Marcus who was looking at him in lust.

"You don't know how to obey people, do you? You will remove you clothes and bend and spread your arse wide apart. I want to fuck you here and I want to fuck you without preparation.

"But-" Marcus started and Albus looked at the man again who was glaring at him now. He did not understand why and somehow it fuelled his anger. He grabbed Marcus's hair and pulled his head to the side again "You will do as I say. Won't you?". He slapped Marcus on his right cheek, not very hard though, just enough to show that he was in command right now.

Marcus's eyes darkened and he nodded. Albus looked at the man who was looking at them with narrowed eyes and backed off. "Undress and bend. Then spread your arse for me." The red eyes boy obeyed him and Albus felt his instincts screaming at him again. He turned towards the man again. His eyes were trying to stop him and Albus did not understand why but he did not stop. He knew it was monstrous but he did not stop. Marcus was beautiful. He was handsome and dashing and had an extremely firm and round arse. He bent but did not spread the cheeks. Albus slapped his arse in annoyance and snapped at him "Spread the cheeks."

"Yes." and Marcus obeyed him.

Albus unzipped his jeans and slid his jeans and underwear on his knees and placed the tip of his prick on Marcus's perineum. He looked at the man who was looking at him with wide eyes now. His eyes were still somewhat angry, though they were wide in disbelief and disappointment too. With one jerk, Albus thrusted inside Marcus and was inside him. Marcus shouted and Albus moaned in delight "You are so bloody tight."

"Move. Please Move." Marcus begged him and Albus finally moved, his eyes on the man who was looking more pained and angry by the moment. Albus fucked Marcus and fucked him hard. After countless thrusts and screams and pleasured moans, they came and Albus spilled his seed inside Marcus.

He moved out of Marcus gently and for some reason, could not look at the old man at all. Softly, he whispered "Go away. Go." but the man did not leave. When he looked at him he found that the man's face was etched in pain from the cruciatus and he couldn't move perhaps. He turned towards Marcus who was gathering his clothes and was avoiding Albus's eyes.

"Marcus. Please wait for me in my room." He requested softly, anger having drained from him.

Marcus nodded and looked at him weirdly and then fled, having dressed back.

Albus turned towards the man who was curled into himself and was looking at the sky silently. Albus knew that the man was homeless and had nowhere to go. He asked him "Why are you not leaving?" and the man looked at him with eyes so full of pain that Albus couldn't take it anymore. He stormed away from their, away from the man's pained eyes and bleeding lips. He had not known that constant exposure to Cruciatus led to bleeding and was surprised to know it.

He ran and ran until the image of the man and his eyes and his screams and Marcus's screams fled away from his mind.

He wanted Marcus and excitement and wanted to learn everything. It was perhaps wrong and immoral but it was very seductive and nothing would make him back off.

XXXX


	11. Sacrifice for Love Part I

**_Chapter-10_ **

**_Sacrifice for Love Part I_ **

Harry looked fondly at Draco who was lying in his arms. It had been a long time since they had made love to each other. Between Albus and Marcus and their being appointed at Hogwarts, they were so bloody busy that there was no time to make love.

Draco held Harry's cheeks in his hands and kissed his lips softly. In response Harry held Draco's firm arse cheeks and pressed their groins together. The sweet and chaste kiss transformed into a very passionate one and Draco moaned in his husband's mouth.

Harry squeezed Draco's arse and latched his mouth on Draco's delectable throat.

"Draco." He whispered, his lips kissing the soft skin and hands squeezing Draco's very naked, very beautiful arse "I love you, you know."

"You do?" Draco asked teasingly and moaned under Harry's ministrations. His hands traced Harry's spine and rested on his round arse. "Why so?"

"You are the best." Harry replied and bit his throat.

"I am?" Draco moaned and squeezed Harry's firm globes and gasped "Harry, you know what?" when Harry abruptly pulled back and took his tight nipple in his mouth.

"Hmmm." Harry mumbled, his tongue licking his nipple and his fingers fondling the other one. Draco's mouth opened in a moan and he whispered when he could gather his breath "I love you too. I love youh-ah- the-ahhh- most."

In response, Harry bit hard into his nipple and Draco let out a strangled moan.

A knock halted Harry's ministrations and annoyed him too.

"Who can it be? It's so late." He mumbled and Draco chuckled. Harry bit his throat and Draco chuckled again, his eyes shining with mirth. "I am going to eat you up, Draco. I really am, if you continue to be such a sweetheart." Draco whispered "Really" and squeezed his arse hard and Harry crushed their lips together in response.

The knock became frantic now and Harry yelled "Bloody Hell. I am coming. Wait up."

Draco chuckled and traced his spine longingly and kissed his neck before letting him go. With an annoyed yet longing look in his darkened green eyes, Harry finally crawled out of his bed and covered himself in his sleeping robe and threw Draco's on his very naked, very delectable body. Even as his eyes trailed over his tight nipples, flat belly and half hard prick, the knocking started again and this time it was almost constant and frantic.

Draco's eyes that had been dark with lust a few seconds before suddenly became very worried and he put his robe on and crawled out of the bed. By the time he reached his husband, the door had already opened and in came, his son, his shivering, trembling, pale and bleeding son who had Harry's invisibility cloak in one hand and the other hand on Harry's shoulders. Harry was looking in horror at Scorpius while simultaneously holding him by his shoulders. Scorpius's blue eyes were half closed and he was coughing blood.

"For Merlin's sake, come inside Scorpius. Couldn't you have yelled and told us that it was you?" Draco barked and Harry ushered the injured boy inside.

Harry was so worried that no word escaped his mouth for a couple of minutes. He held Scorpius in his arms in bridal style and placed him on the bed.

"What has happened Scorpius? Where have you been and why are you in such a state?" Harry asked once Scorpius lay on their bed, his eyes half closed and his whole body trembling.

Draco looked at his son's broken body for a few minutes and wondered why it looked so similar. It hit him with a jerk.

"Sweet Merlin. He has suffered cruciatus." He exclaimed, his hands clenched into fists on his sides and Harry who was sitting beside Scorpius, looked at him in horror, his green eyes wide and terrified.

Scorpius had closed his eyes completely now but Draco knew that he was very much awake. No one could sleep with such a broken body.

"How can you-" Harry started and Draco cut him off "Severus. He was always broken when he returned from Dark Lord's meeting."

"Scorpius, son. You have to tell us. What is going on? Where have you been? Most importantly, who cursed you? Is it Marcus?" Harry's questions went unanswered and Draco snapped at his son "You have been for the whole time Albus was gone with Marcus. Where were you?"

XXXX

Scorpius opened his eyes found his father's silver eyes boring into his. He was suddenly afraid of father. His father was very angry and he would rather not face father's wrath when he was already very hurt.

"Draco you are scaring him. You need to calm down if you want to know." Harry must have read his face when he had covered his eyes with his arms because he was looking at Scorpius in concern.

"I don't believe it." Father's voice shook a little and he opened his eyes to come across with his father's sad silver eyes "Why is he scared of me? If you just had to do what I think you have done today, why did you not take the potion?"

"Which potion?" Harry asked him curiously, his eyes confused.

"I had invented a potion for Severus. It decreases the pain caused from Cruciatus while the curse is being cast. It also reduces the harm it causes to our nerves. What I want to know is that why did he not consume that potion?" Father asked with crossed arms and a stern look on his face. He couldn't face father so he turned towards Harry instead.

He touched Scorpius's forearm and patted it a little "Scorpius, do you need something? We can talk about this after you have been treated."

"Throat is paining. Hands are trembling." He tried to speak through his aching throat. "Water.. please." He closed his eyes and felt a glass being pressed to his lips. Warm water soothed his throat and he opened his eyes. Father had calmed down a little.

"Harry, please feed this potion to him. We will take him to St. Mungos after that." Father spoke and handed a vial to Harry.

"Not St. Mungos, please." Scorpius spoke hurriedly and Harry's eyes widened. They were so much like Albus's that he just stared into them. If one looked carefully, Albus was very similar to Harry in many aspects.

"Okay. Okay. No Mungos. Please take this potion and then we will talk." Harry replied softly. The vial was pressed to his lips and he closed his eyes. The potion worked wonders. It soothed his nerves and his trembling reduced. The bleeding had already stopped. His head still throbbed and his throat ached too. His body trembled a little every now and then.

When he opened his eyes again, father had settled down on a chair near the bed and Harry was sitting beside him with Scorpius's hand held in his own.

"Now. Please tell us." Harry spoke and Scorpius looked at him. He shook his head and replied softly "I can't." How could he tell Harry that his son had crucioed Scorpius along with Marcus? How could he exactly say that his son was a criminal? Harry could very well panic and throw his own son in Azkaban and Scorpius won't let it happen. He will bring Albus back the way he wanted to and he knew that Albus would eventually come back to him. So when Harry asked again "Scorpius, please. You have to tell us." , Scorpius shook his head in denial and averted his eyes adamantly.

He was truly and utterly surprised when his father's soft voice reached his ears "Leave it Harry. He won't tell anything to either of us because it is somehow connected to Albus. He is protecting Albus and he will not say anything."

Harry's hand which rested on Scorpius's arms trembled and he stared in Scorpius's eyes, completely horrified "Did he crucio you?" Harry asked and Scorpius kept his eyes averted "Do not ask questions that I cannot answer."

"You have to tell us. If Albus is casting unforgivable curses, I will have to involve aurors, Scorpius. You must understand." Harry spoke in a trembling voice and confirmed his suspicions. He turned towards father who was looking at him serenely. He wondered how father understood him so very well.

"I can't say anything. I would like to make a request, though. I cannot force you but I would like it if you would accept and it would help me a lot." Scorpius spoke and his eyes shifted from father to Harry who was looking directly into his eyes and had a very indescribable expression on his face. Harry wore his heart on his sleeves usually. Scorpius wondered why his face was so unreadable at that moment.

"What is your request?" Harry asked him and Scorpius started in a soft voice "I might need your help. This incident might repeat itself. I want to be able to come to both of you without fearing that you would inform the aurors. I might need a healer sometimes and I think you could convince Hermione Wealsey. You can't ask any questions. I want to do this my way."

Father looked helplessly at him. He had never seen his father helpless before so it surprised him.

"What if Harry refuses?" He asked.

"I will just have to bear the pain, considering that I can't approach anyone else yet." Scorpius shrugged before replying and averted his eyes.

"All right. No questions, then. Any other thing that we should know?" Harry asked in a voice that could barely restrain his anger.

"I will need your invisibility cloak." Scorpius replied and started coughing. He stared at his hands. His mouth was bleeding.

"Sweet Merlin. All right. You can keep the cloak. Take care of it please. I am going to call Hermione now." Harry spoke hurriedly and walked towards the floo.

"I am proud of you." Scorpius was shocked to hear his father say this. Father had been angry with him for months.

 


	12. Sacrifice for Love Part II

**_Chapter-11_ **

**_Sacrifice for Love Part II_ **

"Really." He looked at him with stunned eyes and father stared back "Yes. You are very brave and I am proud to have a brave and courageous son. I do understand what you are going through and so does Harry. You have to understand that we are Hogwarts's professors's now and we can't exactly keep this hidden from aurors."

"Casting unforgivable curses makes him dangerous, if he IS casting it." Harry spoke with crossed arms and a stern face. Scorpius averted his eyes and replied softly "He isn't."

"He isn't? Are you sure, Scorpius?" This time it was Hermione who asked him and her voice was soft. She sat beside him and held his hands in hers.

"Yes. I am sure." He looked at her and saw an understanding in her eyes. He felt an urge to hug her. It just hurt so much and he couldn't exactly hug his father or Harry. She might have seen it because she smiled and her brown eyes grew softer and then she opened her arms to welcome him. He crawled in her arms gladly. He had never had a mother figure. His grandmum had always been distant and it was soothing because Hermione was really a very warm and kind woman. Belatedly, he realized that his body was shaking and his eyes were watering and he was crying like a small child and he was anything but a small child.

"Shhh. It's okay. It's okay. I will heal you and the pain will go. Shhhh." She rocked him as he cried and he was glad that his father couldn't see his mortified face. He had been five the last he had cried in front of anyone.

After several minutes, he calmed down and pulled back and looked pointedly away from father and Harry.

"Scorpius, now look at me. You can come to me, okay. I won't ask questions. I understand that your silence might be important so I won't ask anything. But you will take certain medicines and potions before it becomes necessary for you to repeat this incident, okay?" Hermione asked and kept her hands on his shoulders. Her eyes were bright and warm and understanding and Scorpius nodded before he knew. He was glad that he was not alone. He had not really gotten over the fact that Albus had fucked Marcus in front of a man who was a complete stranger to him, without any preparation and had crucioed him, not just once but several times, just for the sake of learning the curse. He wondered about Albus's reaction on realizing that it was Scorpius instead of the man.

How was he supposed to bring him back? Could he bring him back? What would the process entail?

The reason he had replaced the man was that he knew that he would not have died from Cruciatus and the man would most certainly have died and Albus would never have forgiven himself for killing someone. Right now, Albus was not really behaving rationally but Albus would never forgive himself for murdering someone when he would come back to his senses. Scorpius wanted to prevent Albus from doing anything unforgivable or irreversible so he replaced the man.

"Why are you doing this Scorpius? Why? You are not doing this because you slept around behind his back, are you?" Harry asked him with crossed arms and he looked at the green eyed man. He shook his head. He wanted to speak but no sound would escape his mouth yet.

Once again, it was his father who looked at him and answered for him "He does not want him to do anything unforgivable, anything that he would never forgive himself for."

Harry looked in his eyes for some sort of answer and Scorpius lay back on the bed and turned around so that he did not have to face anyone yet.

"Draco." He heard Harry call father.

"Yes."

"You were wrong, you know. He is more like you than Lucius." Scorpius heard and would have smiled, except that nothing would make him smile yet.

"He is. Isn't it?" Father replied softly.

"Close your eyes and go to sleep, Scorpius. I will feed you medicines and give you dreamless sleep too. Just try to sleep." He heard Hermione's soothing voice and felt lips kiss his forehead and whisper softly "Thank you." Even if he did not open his eyes, he knew that it was Harry.

XXXX

Scorpius had slept and Hermione had flooed over to her own house with a few instructions and potions..

"Harry, we can sleep in the guest room." Draco whispered softly after closing the door to their room and Harry just nodded and replied in a strained voice "Lead the way."

"Harry, please calm-" Draco spoke, looking at him worriedly and Harry cut him off "I can't calm down. What you are asking of me is preposterous. How can I sacrifice Scorpius's health for my son? How is it fair to him? I can't. I simply can't do this, Draco."

"We don't know that it is Albus. It might be someone else." Of course, Draco did not believe his own words and Harry glared at him weakly. Draco just averted his eyes. "How can you even allow this, Draco? He is your son. You are letting someone crucio him even though you can stop it."

"You think I can stop him. No one can stop him at this point. He will find some way to accomplish what he wants. He won't let us imprison Albus, if that's what you are thinking." Draco replied in an equally concerned voice.

"SO, this means that I am just supposed to look at him when he come broken and bleeding because my son crucioed him, eh? If my son is going to be the next dark lord, then I would like to stop it before it goes beyond my control." Harry snapped at him and rubbed his forehead.

"Scorpius wants to spare you, you understand. He wants you to let him do this his way. If you intervene, he will not ask for our help. He will suffer silently. Is that what you want?" He looked at Harry with cool eyes "If it is, then, be my guest. Imprison Albus and then Scorpius will find some other way to free him and continue what he is doing but he won't trust us anymore. We can decrease his pain and heal his injuries. We can teach him to fight but we can't stop him from helping Albus. Please do not ask any questions from him. We have to help him silently without any intervention. Okay?"

Harry breathed deeply, attempting to control his rage and Draco held his shoulders "OKAY?"

He nodded and replied "Okay. OKAY. I will help him silently, without any intervention, just like he wants. Merlin only knows how professor Dumbledore did this all the time."

Harry looked into Draco's eyes and for the first time, he understood how difficult it must have been for professor Dumbledore to take so many hard decisions. It might have been as difficult for Professor Dumbledore to make those decisions as easy it was for him to blame him for all his miseries.

Albus's voice brought him out of his musings "Dad, what is happening. I heard voices. What are you and Dra-" Draco glared at him and he continued "Mr. Malfoy doing awake so late?"

"If I do not have any right to ask you to stay away from Marcus, even though I am your father, then you don't have any right to ask anything from me as well." Harry snapped at him and clenched his fists. Draco knew that his husband was very angry, considering the way his eyes burned in Albus's.

Albus took a step back, alarmed in the face of his father's anger and whispered "Dad-"

"You will address me as 'sir' in the future." Harry snapped and moved forward. Draco had to restrain him with both arms to stop him.

"But dad-" Albus started and Harry glared menacingly at him "You will address me as 'sir', or so help me Albus, I will-"

Fortunately, Draco interrupted him quietly "Don't. You know this is not right." Their eyes met and Draco's soft eyes softened his hard ones "But he-".

"No, Harry. Please." Draco pleaded him and Harry nodded and breathed deeply, keeping his eyes on Draco's all the while "Ask him to return to his room, then."

Draco turned towards Albus walked towards him. He squeezed his son's shoulders comfortingly and smiled softly at him and then whispered "Go and sleep. He is just not comfortable with your relationship with Marcus. It does not mean that we do not trust you. We trust you and love you. It's late. Go to sleep. Good night."

Albus looked at Draco in wonder. He was obviously as surprised as Harry himself was. After a couple of seconds, he nodded and looked at Harry. Harry pointedly averted his eyes and looked away. Albus sighed and left them after that.

As Draco took his arms and dragged him to the guest room, Harry could only stare at his husband in wonder. Albus had most probably hurt his own son. How could Draco have such a large heart?

Draco locked the door and crawled in the bed beside him, resting his head on Harry's chest and his legs on Harry's legs and Harry hugged him tight. Only when he thought that Draco had slept, he kissed him and whispered "I love you. You don't know the extent to which I love you. You are so bloody nice and I don't know how you can smile at Albus and claim to trust him but I really am lucky to have you as my husband. I really am."

He closed his eyes and was on the brink of losing himself to slumber when a soft kiss was pressed on his chest and a soft whisper reached his ears "I love you too and I am the lucky one, even if you don't realize it yet." With a sad smile on his face, he fell asleep.

XXXX

 


	13. Guilt and Insanity

**_Chapter-12_ **

**_Guilt and Insanity_ **

It was four in the morning when Albus's eyes opened on their own accord and he blinked sleepily. His stomach grumbled and he turned towards Marcus. The red eyed boy was sleeping peacefully and Albus was hungry. So he tiptoed to his door and out to the kitchen. He was very surprised to find Scorpius in front of the stove. He was- Albus sniffed and realized that he was making tea. When Scorpius moved towards the refrigerator to take milk, he realized that something was definitely very wrong. He was limping and his hands were trembling. The milk fell from his trembling fingers and Albus moved forward to help him, finally letting himself be noticed.

"Let me help you." He whispered and bent down to scrub the milk.

"No need. I can do it myself." Scorpius replied softly and muttered a cleaning charm. Albus looked at the boy who was still limping and trembling and Albus asked the question that had been nagging him "Where were you yesterday night?"

Scorpius shrugged in reply and asked instead "Will you have tea?"

"Yes. Thank you. No sugar." He replied back and Scorpius poured the milk in the pan. His fingers were trembling and for some unknown reason and Albus's heart started pounding.

"Do you want anything to eat?" Scorpius asked and Albus replied softly "Two pieces of buttered toast. Thank you."

All the time, Scorpius's fingers trembled and he limped and Albus's instincts screamed at him.

"Are you fine? Why are you trembling and limping?" He asked and Scorpius froze for a second.

After that second though, he unfroze and replied smoothly "You must be mistaken. I have not had enough sleep, you know. I was preparing an experimental potion in my lab. My own recipe. I am just tired."

But Scorpius was not looking at him, even when he came towards the table with the tray and settled across from him.

"Help yourself, please Albus." He whispered and started eating.

"You are lying. Why are you lying? Where were you?" He asked softly. For some unknown reason, he just couldn't be angry at Scorpius, even though he hated it when someone lied to him.

"You can ask father. He knew. I was in my lab. Is the toast fine? Do you need more butter?" Scorpius deflected the topic and Albus started in concern now, his breathes quickened for some strange unknown reason "Please tell me. Where were you?"

"Is the tea okay? Do you need sugar?" He asked instead of answering Albus and he wanted to throw the breakfast at the floor. But then the image of a limping and trembling Scorpius came unbidden to his mind and he ate his breakfast quietly. He knew that Scorpius won't answer him and again for some bloody unknown reason his eyes watered. Wet eyes lowered on his empty plate, he whispered "Thank you for the breakfast. You need rest. I think you are tired and we are leaving for Hogwarts day after tomorrow. You must rest."

Scorpius whispered, his eyes on the prophet now "I will. Thank you." Before limping out of the room, he threw the prophet on his chair muttering "Bloody death eaters." Albus's ears perked and he stood up to read the prophet. What he read chilled his blood...

**_THREE MUGGLEBORN GIRLS FOUND RAPED AND KILLED WITH THEIR TWO MUGGLE FRIENDS IN SURREY_ **

**_Seven year old Sylvia, Jane and Mary were raped and killed along with their muggle girlfriends Jenny and Alice in a lane in Surrey yesterday night around 11 P.M. The dark mark looked menacing and frightening in the sky ..._ **

_Is Marcus responsible- no, No he couldn't. No he wouldn't do this. He simply won't._

Albus muttered to himself before dropping the newspaper unceremoniously on the table and running towards his room to get some more sleep.

Albus woke up for the second time and realized that it was 8 A.M. He blinked his sleepy eyes and turned his face and saw Marcus sleeping peacefully, his face towards Albus. He pushed a the image of a limping and trembling Scorpius and broken bodies of five little girls to the back of his mind and looked at the innocent image Marcus made while sleeping.

 _Innocent, my arse._ The thought came unbidden before Albus could stop himself and his tried to ignore it.

Albus had tried to speak to Marcus about his rudeness last night but all had been in vain. Marcus had ignored him completely and it was justified. He shouldn't have treated Marcus that way. He had behaved monstrously. That man had been a stranger and Albus had had fucked Scorpius in front of him, without any preparation, no less. He wondered why Marcus had agreed because Marcus could have denied his demands. The boy was quiet powerful and why would he agree to Albus's irrational orders.

Albus had never felt such strange urges. He had never wanted to have threesomes before. But he felt an overwhelming urge to see someone else fucking Marcus hard. He wanted deep throat Marcus while that man fucked him and he wanted it to be hard and rough. Why had he never felt such things with Scorpius, or perhaps he had. Perhaps he had not explored his own desires. But then why did he want to Crucio anyone who touched Scorpius ever again? Why did he not have any such problem with Marcus? He really, really wanted to deep throat him while Marcus was fucked bareback by a third man and perhaps whipped by a fourth one.

_He deserved it for luring me towards Unforgivable curses. Bloody Bastard. Criminal._

Albus stared at the ceiling wondering where that last had come from, completely unbidden in his mind. Marcus was not a criminal. Why would he Albus think that he was a criminal? Marcus was not responsible for the incident in surrey. He wasn't.

_I will, bloody, teach him a lesson._

Once again, a stray thought came in his mind and he did not know why because Albus did not believe that Marcus could be behind the murders. He simply didn't because Marcus won't do it or make anyone do it.

When Marcus simply woke up and started crawling out of the bed to go to the bathroom without even wishing morning to him, his rage flared and he snapped sharply "I had hoped that you at least had the decency to wish me morning after being ruthlessly fucked by me. Of course, I was wrong."

Marcus shrugged. He merely shrugged and continued. Albus completely lost his mind.

_How dare the bastard ignore me? After what he provoked me do yesterday, how dare he?_

Unbidden, the images of a limping Scorpius and the image of the old man who was being crucioed by him revolved in his mind. The images alternated between Scorpius's limping and trembling body and the screaming old man and broken little girls.

Why couldn't Albus calm himself down? It was bloody ridiculous. Marcus was not even responsible for the crimes. Of course, he was not. It had to be some stupid ex-death eaters or something. It couldn't have been Marcus and Scorpius was just tired, just like he claimed to be.

_Where was Marcus when you were alone with your parents? Where was Scorpius when you were having dinner? Why was he eating so late? Why was he trembling all over? He is never clumsy. Why had Marcus vanished early from the table? Where the bloody hell had he gone?_

He silenced the voices and looked at the bathroom door, waiting for the red eyed ill-mannered boy. He did not even have the decency to wish morning to Albus.

_It was time you learnt some manners, Marcus._

The bathroom opened and Marcus came out of it. Albus spoke sharply when he started towards the door of the room "Where do you think you are going, eh?" and locked the door using his wand.

Marcus turned towards him, clearly shocked at Albus's boldness.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" He snapped and Albus lost it completely. The images of Scorpius and the little girls revolved in his mind and he crawled out of his bed in his boxers and night shirt and his rage spiked. He did not even understand his own anger when he stormed towards Marcus whose red eyes flashed at him and growled at the boy "Don't you dare take that tone with me, Marcus."

Marcus growled and backed off "Who do you think you bloody are, eh?" The boy was dressed in black trousers and white shirt. Albus's eyes trailed from his neck to chest to trousers. It was time to teach Marcus some manners. He thought and gazed at Marcus's handsome body again. Marcus was turned on by his gaze and the bulge on his trousers was an evidence of that fact. He walked close towards Marcus and glared into his red eyes. In a blur of motion, he held Marcus's hair pulled them hard so as to bare the boy's neck. Marcus was not struggling so he pulled the hair some more and bit his neck hard enough to hurt. Marcus moaned in both pain and pleasure.

"You are such a bastard, Marcus. What the hell do you think of yourself?" He growled and turned Marcus abruptly and slammed his head into the door roughly. Marcus's scream satisfied him. The photo of five little girls came into his mind and he banged his head once again, though he was sure that Marcus was not responsible for the incidents. He was not. Then why couldn't Albus control his rage even though Marcus was screaming in pain. Why did Albus bang his head again when the image of a trembling Scorpius came into his mind? They were nothing but bloody coincidences. Marcus was not responsible for the incidents and in Surrey and Hangleton.

"Now, I am going to release your hair. Be a good boy and stay put, Marcus." He warned him sharply and Marcus nodded after pleading "Please. Please."

Albus released him and traced his hand on Marcus's hard and clothed prick.

"It turns you on, doesn't it? When I slam your head and fuck you without any preparation." He growled and pressed his chest on Marcus's back such Marcus was pressed firmly against the door and his prick was pressed against Marcus's tight arse.

"No. No. It doesn't." Marcus breathed and Albus squeezed his hard prick. Marcus moaned and Albus mocked him "That is why you are as hard as a rock. Tell me honestly. Tell me that you don't want this and I will let you go. Be honest. I hate liars. It wouldn't be good for you to lie to me."

Marcus breathed and pressed his cheek on the door and whispered "Yes. Yes I like it. Yes."

Albus backed off and screamed "Bastard." He was so bloody angry at him. He had ruined everything. He tore Marcus's shirt and threw it on the floor and his trousers and underpants followed the shirt and he slammed his head hard on the door. Marcus moaned and Albus glared at his back "EVERTHING. Ruined everything."

Albus did not understand the reason or cause of sudden and potent rage inside him but he pinned Marcus hands above his head and growled at him "Don't move your hands." Marcus nodded and whispered "Yes. Yes." The five little and innocent girls swam in Albus's mind and his rage flared.

He shrugged his underwear off and growled "Bastard. Bloody BASTARD." and positioned his prick on Marcus's perineum.

Marcus moaned in pleasure when Albus scratched his back and ordered him to keep his hands pinned above him.

The bastard was enjoying. BLOODY ENJOYING.

"You PATHETIC USELESS BASTARD" Albus screamed and slammed inside the boy. Marcus's pained scream satisfied Albus because the images of little girls just won't go out of his mind. But Marcus couldn't be responsible for that. He couldn't. Not his sweet beautiful quiet Marcus. Then why did he feel such a potent rage towards the boy. He slammed inside him again and again and again.

"Apologise for being ill mannered and I will hit your prostate." He growled and slammed inside him again. He felt some liquid on his prick and looked down to find that it was blood.

_Bastard deserved it for- for-._

But Marcus couldn't have done it. HE COULDN'T. Albus screamed and slammed inside him again "BLOODY APOLOGISE ALREADY."

"Sorry. I am sorry. Please." Finally Marcus apologized and true to his promise, Albus hit his prostate and he did not soften the thrusts. After a few more thrusts they came, Marcus all over his door and he came inside Marcus.

Albus finally pulled out and he ignored the way Marcus bled. He turned away and fled to his bathroom after a mumbled "I will meet you at the breakfast table."

What was bloody wrong with him. He wondered and splashed water on his sweating face. He looked at his face inside the mirror and couldn't recognise himself for the first time in life. His eyes were red rimmed and there were tear trails all over his face. When had started crying and why was he crying?

Albus splashed his face again and showered. He scrubbed each and every part of his body, trying to get rid of the dirty feeling he was having. He tried and tried but even after half an hour the feeling did not go away. Furious at his irrational and insane behaviour, he exited the bathroom and got ready to start the day.

_Bloody hell. This day is going to be very bad. How will I apologise to Marcus?_

But even though he felt guilty at his own monstrous behaviour, he knew inside his heart that he was not guilty that he had been monstrous to Marcus.

_After all, the bastard was responsible for luring me to cast the unforgivable curses and kill those kids at Hangleton and Surrey._

Albus quietened the voice with a shout.

_"NO, HE MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BLOODY INCIDENTS AT BLOODY HANGLETON AND SURREY AND I MOST CERTAINLY WANT TO LEARN DARK CURSES AND I BLOODY WILL."_

But, even though, Albus shook his head and cast a cleaning charm on himself after showering for half an hour, he couldn't get rid of the dirty feeling from himself or the anger at Marcus or an urge to look over his shoulder in fear of someone catching him off guard while he was casting the unforgivable curses.

_Bloody hell, what a way to start the day._

He thought furiously and closed his door with a bang and then walked towards the breakfast table.

_XXXX_

 


	14. A Ray Of Hope

**_Chapter-13_ **

**_A Ray of Hope_ **

Scorpius hid under the cloak and watched Riddle walk out of Albus's room limping about and grinned. His grin widened when he heard Albus scream loudly at himself. His face turned towards Harry who was now standing beside father and was watching him, trying to fight a smile, though his eyes betrayed him. Scorpius wondered exactly how Harry knew about his position when Scorpius was under an invisibility cloak. He vowed to ask him later.

Perhaps he was just imagining things- but then Harry winked at him and Scorpius gaped open mouthed at the man who had now turned to walk towards the breakfast table with a pot of tea in his hand.

Albus's sudden arrival distracted him from his musings and with a grin, Scorpius walked back towards his room, still hidden under the cloak.

XXXX

Scorpius poured finished his pumpkin juice and poured tea for himself. He had arrived in record time after showering and changing. Albus had been startled and he had snapped his hand back from Riddle's grasp when he had noticed Scorpius's eyes on him.

"Hello Albus." He said cheerfully and was satisfied when he saw a flicker of jealousy in Riddle's red eyes when Albus's hard eyes softened a bit.

"Hello." Albus whispered and smiled and Scorpius wondered if he knew that his smile was sad. Scorpius smiled back and he knew that it was sad because Albus lowered his eyes towards his plate.

"Did you read prophet Harry?" He asked and handed over the prophet to the green eyed man who was studying them curiously.

Harry caught his hint and feigned innocence "Prophet. Why? Has something happened again? Did you get the opportunity to read it Draco?"

Father's eyes darkened for a minute after which he schooled his features "Of course not. Read it loud, will you Harry?"

**_THREE MUGGLEBORN GIRLS FOUND RAPED AND KILLED WITH THEIR TWO MUGGLE FRIENDS IN SURREY_ **

**_Seven year old Sylvia, Jane and Mary were found raped and killed along with their muggle girlfriends Jenny and Alice in a lane in Surrey yesterday night around 11 P.M. The dark mark looked menacing and frightening in the sky after the incident occurred. It was reported that the five little girls were playing in the garden of their house in Surrey, street no. 4 when the house was unexpectedly attacked by three masked death eaters. They cast Petrificus Totalus on the parents and raped and killed the girls in front of them. After that they took the kids and dropped the dead bodies in the lane before casting the dark mark in the sky. Their mother has gone completely insane and is in St. Mungos currently and the father has gone mute after telling everything to the aurors. Of course, we can't begrudge them for behaving like this. Anyone would go insane after being forced to watch rape and murder of their own children helplessly-_ **

Harry stopped reading when they heard a yelp. On turning his head he found that Albus had stabbed back of Riddle's hand with his fork and it was bleeding profusely. Albus was glaring at the red eyed boy furiously.

"Merlin, Albus. What are you doing?" Harry exclaimed. Of course he was just acting but he was quiet good at it. With a start, Albus turned his angry eyes towards his father as if he had forgotten that they had company. He cleared his throat and muttered "I am sorry. It happened by mistake. The news took me by surprise. At what time, they say, it happened, da- I mean sir" Albus finished when Harry glared at him.

"Ummm. 11 P.M. Isn't it Harry?" Father replied and Scorpius agreed "Yes. 11 P.M. Oh! That reminds me. Father, please tell Albus where I was during dinner last night. He doesn't believe me."

Father looked at Albus who had still not removed the fork from Riddle's hand. Riddle was clearly in pain. His lips were pinched tightly and eyebrows were furrowed and it seemed that he could barely bear it.

"Say, around 11 P.M." Father asked and Scorpius nodded, trying to stop his grin.

"Yes." He answered and father turned towards Albus who was looking at nothing in particular. His eyes were on his untouched breakfast.

"He was in the lab. You see, I had invented a potion to reduce the effect of Cruciatus. You have to consume the potion beforehand and it will reduce the pain and prevent your nerves from being destroyed completely but there is one problem with potion." Father said and Albus finally removed the fork. Riddle snatched his hand and cleaned the bleeding. The flicker of fear in his eyes did not go unnoticed by anyone on the table. It was so ironical that Voldemort's only heir would be afraid of Harry's son and they could cash on this if they succeed in bringing Albus back to his senses.

"What kind of problem?" Harry asked and father looked at him now. Scorpius did not know about any problem. Father had not discussed anything with him and when father looked into his eyes seriously, he realized that he was being given an assignment.

"You see, the effect lasts for only fifteen minutes. I wanted it to last for at least three hours. Scorpius told me that he would like to try to achieve this task so he was in his lab at that time." Father looked in his eyes all the while and Scorpius would have gaped in any other circumstances. Father never let anyone touch his potions. He never gave his recipe to anyone, not even Severus. He knew that it must have been difficult for father to hand over the responsibility of modifying his invention to him and he breathed a couple of times to mask his surprise and then nodded.

"You see I wondered where he was-" Albus started in a soft tone and Harry cut him off smoothly "It's okay. I apologize for snapping at you. I was angry at Draco for some reason and vented it on you."

While Riddle, father and he ate their breakfast quietly, Albus stared at his father. Scorpius looked at his veela from the corner of his eyes and the guilt was not hidden. It was as clear as day.

Albus nodded and Harry went to his own breakfast, but Albus did not. He glared at Riddle who flinched under the glare and it was fascinating to see the faint tremor in his hand. Albus had a little of what was in his plate and excused himself after a firm "I am waiting for you outside. Please be there after your breakfast."

Riddle shuddered but kept his eyes lowered on his plate after nodding in accent and Albus left the dining room.

Scorpius smiled at father and Harry and mouthed _Mission accomplished._ Harry smiled back and Riddle left after five minutes, limping as he walked.

Scorpius had not known the extent to which Albus would go, at that moment. Had he known, he too, would have shuddered like Riddle and sweated too, for it would be nearly impossible to bring Albus back, which he would realize a few days later.

XXXX

Marcus was literally sweating. No one, absolutely no one had terrified him like Albus Severus Potter. The boy was capable of anything, considering the way he had fucked Marcus twice. It had seemed like a punishment. It had been all pain and no pleasure, except for a few times he had hit his prostate. Marcus had taken him to be of a soft and slow love making type but no Albus always got straight to the point.

Yet, Marcus could not keep away from the boy. He was positively fascinated and the dangerous streak attracted him a lot. There were times when he had seen softness in Albus's eyes. When he looked at Scorpius, his eyes smiled even if his lips didn't. When Scorpius called his name, he positively swooned. Marcus won't even deny the jealousy he felt when this happened. There was no physical change in Albus but Marcus always knew it because Albus looked at him with nothing but coldness.

The coldness had commenced after their session with the muggle. He had been so bloody shocked when Albus had ordered him to just undress without any hesitancy and fucked him without any foreplay or preparation and then it repeated today morning. Marcus did not know why Albus was punishing him, considering that when he had spoken to Alfred Avery, Burten Mulciber and Curt Quirrell he had still been on the dinner table. He had been discreet and had taken care to keep his hand in both the incidents covered. He had not forced Albus to cast either of the two curses. Why had Albus stabbed his hand and why had he asked him to meet him outside angrily?

No one had ever been successful in intimidating Marcus and Albus had achieved the impossible. Marcus was very much scared of what the green eyed menace would do. He could slap him in the middle of the street in annoyance or spank his bottom for some reason he was unaware of. The boy seemed insane at times.

What happened next confirmed his thoughts. He had just closed the door and taken two steps ahead when two hands caught his hand and twisted them at his back. He screamed and murmured "Albus. What-Please let me go." But Albus twisted both his hands at his back painfully. The fact that the green eyed boy was standing behind him did not prevent Albus's anger from being noticed.. Fury was practically radiating off his body.

He screamed and Albus twisted his arm again. It was bloody painful and Albus always caught him off-guard. He moaned in pain and shame as he wondered what would happen if this happened at Hogwarts in front of children of the death eaters who wanted to follow him like Alfred, Burton and Curt. They will study in fifth year with Albus and him. How would he manage? He knew that he won't be able to dominate Albus at all. The boy was completely unstoppable which was why Marcus was so bloody attracted to him.

" _I will ask this only once and I want you to tell me nothing but the truth or so help me Marcus, I will humiliate you in a way you have never imagined in your worst nightmares. I promise this to you._ " Albus hissed in parseltongue and _sweet Merlin,_ Marcus was so bloody turned on by it.

 _"_ _Were you responsible for the incidents in Surrey and Hangleton?_ " Albus hissed and Marcus cursed himself because he was at a disadvantage here. He couldn't see Albus's face. He did not know if Albus would believe him or not.

Albus twisted his arms painfully and Marcus had to arch his back to sooth the pain.

" _No. No. Of course I am not responsible._ _I am not. Please let me go._ " Marcus hissed back and finally Albus let him go. He slapped Marcus's arse hard before walking beside him and murmured "Good."

Albus started walking but Marcus stood frozen on the spot. That slap on his arse seemed like a warning and Marcus licked his lips because though it was frightening, still Marcus was already half hard. He stared at Albus's clothed and firm arse and licked his lips again. He wanted to fuck him and own him and dominate him completely. Albus made him so mad. He wanted to tame the green eyed menace.

"Marcus." Albus called and continued sarcastically "What are you waiting for, darling? Christmas?"

Marcus smiled or tried to smile but his lips twisted in a grimace when he felt his shoulders ache. In a blur of motion, Albus was in front of him.

"Oh! I am so sorry for hurting you so much, Marcus. Can we please sit somewhere and talk, perhaps at the nearest cafe?" He blurted out and Marcus stared in wonder, his hands hanging limply on his side. Albus was looking at him innocently and apologetically, though his eyes were still hard. Only minutes ago, he had been mocking and hurting Marcus and only half an hour back, he had fucked him bareback. Marcus had bloody bled and he had not received a single word of comfort from him.

He simply nodded and Albus smiled "All right, come on then." And then Albus extended his hand and Marcus held it. Albus brought him close and hugged him and Marcus had never felt like this in his entire life. Even if he had been hurt by the boy, he couldn't help but hug him back and rest his head on his shoulders and close his eyes in relief that he had not lost him yet. Marcus had very little to lose. He had never had his parents because of Harry Potter and his husband and he had wanted to destroy his family along with Potter apart from continuing what father had started.

Even though he was successfully achieving the second aim, he didn't want to carry on the first. He couldn't hurt Albus and when Albus kissed his forehead and caressed his cheeks filling a strange warmth inside him, he knew somewhere inside him that only this boy could be his downfall because Marcus couldn't hurt him.

_I just can't._

XXXX

 


	15. Attack at Hogwarts

 

**_Chapter-14_ **

**_Attack at Hogwarts_ **

Marcus reflected upon the last day he had spent in Albus's house. All in all, Albus had been nice to him. There had been no repeats of the previous two incidents and Marcus was glad for it. He had never imagined that Albus would be so unstable. At one moment, he would hurt him and at the next, he would hug him and kiss him softly on his forehead. Those few instances when Albus took him in his arms and kissed him or talked softly rendered it impossible for him to abandon Albus. It was not like he couldn't disarm or hurt Albus. He did not want to hurt him. He, sort of liked the danger Albus represented.

He liked Albus's dominance. It turned him and on and he liked Albus too much. He was also a little afraid of Albus but that just enhanced his appeal.

_Where the hell are they?_

Marcus thought angrily. Two days past the commencement of the fifth year, his plan was already into motion. He had picked up the perfect little mudblood for his first step. She was utterly adorable and would be the perfect victim. He smirked at the thought of her-

"My lord." Avery's smooth voice interrupted his musings.

"Why were you late?" Marcus snapped at them and cast a non verbal and wandless spell to slap each one of them on their faces. He loved wandless and non verbal magic.

He kept his face covered by the hood. He had not yet revealed himself to anyone and he had decided to keep it so in the near future.

"We apologise, my lord but we were in detention with Longbottom. He wouldn't-" Mulciber whispered and Marcus was satisfied to see the shudder that wracked his body. He interrupted his meaningless babble by a wandless and non verbal _Crucio_ and they screamed in pain. Oh he just loved cruciatus and his ability to cast it non verbally and wandlessly.

He spoke coldly "Mandy Reese. She will be your first target. I want it done tonight. Is that understood?"

There were three of them, just like Marcus had ordered. Mulciber, Avery and Quirrell. They nodded and he snapped coldly "Dismissed. I will contact you before your next task. Don't try to contact me till then."

"Yes, m-m-m-m-my lord." Quirrell whispered and they left him to his own devices. Satisfied and grinning in anticipation of the terror that will spread over all over Hogwarts tomorrow, he left for the great hall for dinner.

XXXX

Mandy had just finished dinner and was returning to Rawenclaw common room when someone shoved her back and she fell down, face forward on the floor. Before she could take out her wand from her robe pockets, it was accioed by one of the cloaked boys. She gasped in alarm and turned towards her assailants. They were three in number and their faces were hidden beneath black masks and there was an ugly snake engraved on each of their forearms.

She gasped when she realized that she was facing death eaters, not one but three and she quivered in terror of what will happen to her.

"Please. Please let me go. I have never hurt anyone. Please." She pleaded and they laughed and cast a spell on her. With a jerk, she realized that she had nothing on her now.

Vulnerable and completely naked, she tried to curl upon herself but they didn't let her. One held her left hand and the second one held her right one. She tried to curl her legs but her legs were held by the third man. She tried to scream but they cast a silencing charm to shut her up. Tears trickled down her eyes as her body was stretched by them and they eyed it hungrily. She opened her mouth in a silent scream and they laughed loudly.

"Awww, little girl. Now be a good little girl and don't fight back." One of them sneered at her and she looked at him in terror.

"You know you deserve it for being a mudblood." The second one snapped at her when she tried to struggle in their hold.

"You should never be given a opportunity to study at Hogwarts. All you deserve is to suck our cocks. Our lord has chosen us to punish you for polluting our wizarding world." The third one who was holding her legs held both her legs in one hand and slapped her thighs hard with the other.

"This is the sixth floor corridor. No one would disturb us here." The third one said when they reached their desired destination.

They threw her unceremoniously on the floor and looked at each other "We have to do it just as our lord has ordered us to. Do we have all the required things?"

"Yes, we do."

She shivered in terror and tried to crawl back when they walked slowly and menacingly towards her "Don't worry, little mudblood, we would never fuck the likes of you." She sighed in relief. Her relief was short lived though.

"But we would be your worst nightmare." They laughed and lit their wand "Incendio"

"Don't worry about that." Her mouth opened in a silent scream when the burning wand tip was pressed to her nipples and stomach and then they were everywhere. They were slapping her and whipping her and burning her and her eyes widened in horror when they unbuttoned their trousers and stuck their filthy pricks in her mouth.

For the next hour, she knew nothing but pain. Yes, they did not penetrate her and yes, as promised, they had become her worst nightmares. For the first time, she found herself wishing that she was not a witch. It would have been better to be a muggle if being a witch entailed this torture.

XXXX

Albus had not been surprised when dad had sorted Marcus to Gryffindor. Of course the boy was to be sorted in Slytherin but his father decided that Slytherin would be the wrong house for him and sorted him in the house which will enable him to keep an eye on the boy easily.

Two days had passed pleasantly. It had been a very pleasant surprise that he was declared the head boy of Gryffindor, considering that his father had been rather displeased with him lately. Marcus he lied to Albus often and Albus always knew that the boy was lying, not that it stopped the red eyed boy. Albus had kept a firm control on his temper for the past two days. Ever since, he had learnt Cruciatus, he had been very short-tempered.

The suspicions that he had on Marcus were not substantiated and there was no point of hurting the boy on the basis of hunches but he simply could not control himself from snapping when he realized that Marcus always lied to him. He had not wanted to snap. He had wanted to give up the use of Cruciatus curse. He had wanted to give up Marcus and return to his Scorpius, his sweet, spicy, smirking and sneering Scorpius. What happened next, disposed all his plans though, for the incident confirmed his worst suspicions about Marcus.

He had always been an early riser, so it was really a shock when he walked out of the Gryffindor common room, all dressed at 7 A.M. and heard loud voices coming from somewhere ahead. The classes started at 10 A.M. and students arrived at 9. He wondered what the noise was about. He hurried towards the noise with a worried frown on his face. What he saw next chilled his blood.

Mandy Reese, Second year Rawenclaw was hanging completely naked. Her body was crucified. Her hands were nailed on her sides and her hair was cut short and her legs were nailed below her. Her eyes were closed and her face was hanging limply at her side and Merlin, her body.

Her body had every mark one could imagine. Slap marks, whip marks, shoe marks and burn marks and her mouth was bleeding profusely. Her lips were swollen, suggesting that she was forced to blow them off.

Albus realized that he was panting for breath and turned towards the cluster of students behind him.

"Why are you not bloody doing anything, eh? Enjoying the bloody show? Go away." He shouted and they left without another word in the face of his anger. "BLOODY FILTHY COWARDS."

"Albus, why are you- Oh fucking Merlin ." Scorpius cursed and ran towards Mandy. With a little difficulty, they got her down and Albus covered the girl with a conjured blanket and carried her to the infirmary with Scorpius on his heels.

XXXX

"She is alive." Scorpius murmured and touched his forearm. Albus realized that he couldn't look at Scorpius, not right now, not when he was so angry at Marcus. He was bloody sure that this was Marcus's work. There had been many new entrants this year and of course dad couldn't take the liberty to sort everyone into a house of his choice. Marcus had been absent last night before dinner and had lied to Albus, or had tried to lie to him. Albus could easily read the lie in his words and now he will make Marcus suffer.

"Albus, she is breathing. Please calm down." Scorpius repeated when Albus did not speak anything, choosing to just look at Mandy. He had been the first one to speak to her at the Hogwarts Express. She is a Muggleborn and had been very nervous. He had successfully removed the nervousness and induced excitement. She had been a very bubbly, cheerful girl. She always had something to say on any topic.

Marcus had bloody crucified her. He had got her sexually assaulted and now he would be punished for the same. Albus had never felt so murderous in his entire life.

"Albus." Scorpius muttered, clearly alarmed and Albus realized that he was very angry. Madame bones had healed her within half an hour of being brought to the infirmary. Dad had called the aurors and they were waiting to take her statement. She had told everything to them. According to her, three cloaked males had attacked her and she was sure that they were around fifteen or sixteen by their builds and voice. They had punished her for being a mudblood and had called themselves death eaters and had wanted to make an example of her in front of other mudbloods and halfbloods.

After this, she had become quiet and had refused to say anything at all. Albus had tried to talk to her and so had Scorpius but she had refused to say anything. Worn out and depressed, she had fallen asleep within minutes and Albus had been staring at her sleeping face since then.

"I have – to leave. Bye." He whispered, trying to hold a modicum of control on his fury. Scorpius was not responsible for this and he was not angry at Scorpius. He was angry at Marcus. He could not just leave Marcus unpunished now, not when nobody had any proof against the boy. He was sure that Marcus had not revealed himself to any of the death eaters. Left to his own devices, he would create havoc all around Britain.

The fact that Marcus was as afraid of Albus as he was fascinated by him had not escaped Albus.

_Bloody Hell._

Albus cursed mentally while walking back towards the Gryffindor common room. He had wanted to learn dark curses. He had not wanted this- this monstrosity. He was bloody furious at Marcus. Furious at everything. He had decided to approach Scorpius slowly but he couldn't if he had to keep an eye on Marcus. He couldn't keep a relation with both.

"Truth" He spoke the password and the fat lady opened the portrait door for him. His rage must have been clear on his face because the moment, Marcus saw him, he grimaced. The boy was sitting peacefully on a couch, reading a book ads if nothing had happened. There had been some perks of having dad as a headmaster. Dad had allowed Fifth and sixth years to enjoy their evening out of Hogwarts. They were supposed to return before curfew of course and he knew the perfect method to punish Marcus now.

"Oh! Good morning Albus. Where have you been?" Rose muttered cheerfully from the corner. She was lying on the couch in James's lap and he tried to smile at her. He couldn't, though so he settled at trying to keep his face carefully blank.

"I had gone to have some breakfast. What I saw on the way stole my complete appetite." He spoke coldly and turned to look at Marcus who had gone very still. His red eyes were on him and Albus looked straight into his eyes, his arms crossed and his stance was furious.

"What happened, Albus?" james asked curiously and he snapped at his brother when images of abused Mandy came into his mind "Go and find for yourself."

"No need to get sho-" James snapped back and Albus dismissed him impatiently and addressed a frozen Marcus "Follow me in my room."

Having said this, he walked towards his room and as ordered, Marcus followed him, second later. The insane bastard had destroyed Mandy and ruined his chances to renew his relation with Scorpius and Albus wanted to hurt Marcus for everything. Albus was quiet sure that he had ordered his people to assault her even if he couldn't prove it yet. Albus entered his room and hid behind the door. He grinned when the red eyed bastard entered cautiously and whispered in a voice that could barely conceal his fear.

"Albus"

As planned, Albus closed the door behind Marcus and Marcus turned back, startled by the sudden sound. Their eyes met and Albus smiled. He was sure that his smile was nasty because Marcus's eyes widened and he backed off a little.

"Albus, what's the matter?" He asked, while simultaneously backing off a little, his eyes wide and cautious. Albus whispered "Accio Marcus's wand" silkily and the wand flew in his hand. His lips widened and he must have looked frightening because Marcus swallowed and his red eyes became wider, if that was even possible.

"Why, Marcus darling, you won't know who assaulted Mandy, eh?" He whispered and walked gracefully towards Marcus. Marcus backed off and shook his head "Who is Mandy? I don't even know her."

The worst thing was that his face clearly told him that he was lying and the blatant way in which the bastard was deceiving him just increased his anger.

Albus smiled and circled Marcus quietly. He wondered about the best way to punish Marcus. He could of course fuck him raw right now but that would not serve the purpose. Mandy won't be avenged and he wanted to avenge Mandy even if the poor girl was not aware yet.

"Albus, what is the matter? You are scaring me." He whispered in a shaking voice and Albus hugged him from behind gently. He had devised the best way to punish the swine. He trailed a line of soft kisses from the place beneath his ear to shoulder and caressed his belly.

"Awww, sweetheart, can I not kiss my darling boyfriend? Why are you so scared when you are not responsible for the attack?" Albus whispered and tucked his Marcus's shirt out of his trousers with one hand and unbuttoned with the other, while simultaneously nibbling his earlobe. "You are so warm Marcus."

"Albus." Marcus moaned when Albus trailed both his hands on Marcus's chest and stomach. "You have such a nice body. Say, Marcus, will you do something for me?" Albus asked and tweaked his nipples. Marcus pressed his back in Albus's chest and moaned "Anything."

"I am going to take you to 'Forbidden Desires' tonight sweetheart. I want to see you pole dance." Albus pinched his nipples and Marcus tried to pull away this time, whispering urgently "No, I don't-"

"Awww, sweetheart, be a sport. Don't refuse." Marcus was trying to pull away and Albus's anger flared. He pushed Marcus and slammed his chest on the wall and bit his neck hard. He pressed his cock in his arse which was still clothed and touched the hem of his trousers.

"You will, won't you?" He asked again and slapped Marcus's arse hard. Marcus was pressed against the wall and he shuddered visibly. Albus crawled his hands on Marcus's trouser button and pressed his cock in his arse. It was a warning and served the desired purpose. Marcus nodded tightly and replied "Yes. Yes. I will."

"You lied, did you not? Yesterday, before arriving in the great hall, where were you? You said that you were with Flitwick. Where were you?" Albus asked coldly, giving him a fair chance to speak up and Marcus lied again.

"Yes I lied. I was at the library." He trembled when Albus pressed his cock in his arse and bit his neck.

"Are you being honest now?" He asked softly and Marcus nodded and Albus decided to play along, to let Marcus drop his guards. He turned Marcus and hugged his tightly.

"Ok." He replied and Marcus sighed in relief, wrapping his arms around Albus. "We are not going to the pub, are we?"

"Awwww, of course, we are sweetheart. You need to be sufficiently punished for what you have done." Albus replied but did not pull back from the hug. He hugged Marcus closely and softly.

_Oh yes, I will give you the taste of your own medicine, darling Marcus. You will regret the moment you decided to order your men to ruin Mandy's life._

XXXX

Scorpius had known that Albus had been up to something. He could not follow him inside the Gryffindor common room of course but then he remembered the invisibility cloak and summoned it and took his leave of Harry and father who were very worried about everything.

Under the cloak, he followed Albus inside the Gryffindor common room and to his private room. He witnessed everything and tried to restrain his chuckles.

_Bloody hell. Pole dancing, Albus._

Scorpius decided to follow Albus tonight to the pub so that Albus would not do anything illegal at least. He was not behaving at all rationally and Scorpius did not want him to cross any limits.

As it happened later, Scorpius did not have any chance of stopping Albus or whatever he intended to do.

XXXX

 


	16. Punishment Part I

**_Chapter-15_ **

**_Punishment Part I_ **

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Albus murmured, wrapping his arms around Marcus's waist from behind. Their classes were long since finished and he had already gotten ready for their 'date' tonight. Albus would have chuckled at the stupid thought had he not been angry. Marcus looked beautiful.

Albus traced his fingers on Marcus's bulge and looked in the mirror. They looked good together. Marcus's breath hitched when Albus kissed his neck. Albus could clearly see affection for him in Marcus's eyes and in normal circumstances; he would have given a chance to the other boy. These were not normal circumstances and Marcus was most probably trying to create mayhem and havoc with no sort of remorse at all.

"Albus, please drop it. It is not necessary." Marcus murmured and covered his hand on his belly with his own. Albus pressed a kiss on Marcus's earlobe and whispered "It's quite necessary. You lied to me. You were not with Flitwick."

"Yes and I told you later on that I-"Marcus stopped and his eyes closed and a moan escaped his lips when Albus pressed soft bites from ear to shoulder "I was with professor Longbottom. I am sorry I lied to you."

Albus chuckled darkly and bit him hard on his neck "You said that you were in the library. Lies and lies and more lies. Little Mandy is not speaking to anyone, you know."

Albus caressed his chest softly which was quite contradictory to his dangerous voice "Half of the school has seen her naked and spread. Do you know what it feels like to be naked and spread in front of everyone, Marcus?"

Marcus was visibly sweating and his eyes were wide. His fingers were twitching on his sides. It seemed that he would have covered his mouth, had Albus not been watching him closely.

"She was such a bubbly little girl. She won't even speak now. She has lost her dignity and she can't even face anyone. You do know what I am trying to say, eh?" Albus spoke slowly and seductively pressing soft kisses all over Marcus's neck and shoulder and ear and even though Marcus was scared like hell, he was turned on. Of course, he was. That was the plan.

Albus intended to arouse Marcus before going to the pub. He had wanted Marcus to know the reason of all this. So he had laid his cards on the table. Now, Marcus knew and by the way he was watching Albus's eyes sweating and frozen, Albus was sure of that.

Albus trailed his eyes all over Marcus's body. Marcus was wearing black jeans and silver robes today over a cream shirt. His eyes and lips were as red as blood and all Albus needed was Marcus to be as hard as a rock.

He traced his cock and Marcus's breath hitched again. He was already half hard. He continued his ministrations and Marcus leaned inside him. Albus rubbed his erection in Marcus's arse softly and it served the intended purpose. Marcus moaned and Albus turned him to face him. He smiled and Marcus swallowed nervously. His smile must have been quite dangerous to elicit that kind of response. He stared at his red eyes in resentment. What had the bastard turned him into?

He brushed his lips softly with Marcus's and closed his eyes so that he could imagine that it was Scropius. Marcus moaned into his lips and he wanted snap at him for ruining his fantasy. But he didn't. He didn't stop the kiss and held Marcus's hips lightly. Marcus wrapped his arms around his waist and Albus wanted to cringe.

What had Marcus turned him into? He refelected. An insane, nasty and dangerous man who did not think twice before crucioing someone to vent out his fury. Albus had really wanted to give Marcus a chance. He had trusted him and had stood up for him in front of dad. He had just wanted to make Scorpius a little jealous. He had wanted Scorpius to work a little hard to win his affections and Scorpius was in fact trying but Marcus had trapped Albus now.

Albus wanted to twist his arms at the back and crucio him and Merlin, he did not deserve to be free anymore. He was a danger to others if he could point his wand and crucio at the blink of an eye. Instead of twisting Marcus arms, he trailed his fingers on Marcus's spine and he shivered under his touch. He opened his eyes and pulled back to breath and saw that Marcus was quite turned on by this point but there was still fear in the depths of his red eyes.

No one would be able to frighten Marcus like this. Only he could stop this madness and gather evidence to get him imprisoned.

"Albus. I-" Marcus started and stopped abruptly, at a loss of words when Albus pressed his erection in Marcus's. Albus did not want the boy's flimsy excuses and his smile must have communicated the fact to him because Marcus opened his mouth a couple of more times and then closed it. The bastard had been about to apologise but Albus knew that Marcus was not sorry. He was perhaps sorry that Albus knew about his sins. He was not actually sorry that he had committed them.

He had wanted a cottage and Scorpius and little kids whom they would have adopted. He had wanted to grow old with Scorpius. Marcus had snatched away his life for some mad and insane quest and Albus had no other alternative.

He knew that he could involve Scorpius. As he looked into red eyes, he wondered what Scorpius would do if Albus confessed everything. Scorpius could be very intimidating when he wanted to. He would not let Albus sacrifice his innocence for the wizarding world. Albus could imagine his exact words _To the hell with everyone. You are not going anywhere. I don't care what happens next._ He was sure that Scorpius would not let him continue this madness. Scorpius could even go to the extent of confiscating his wand and Albus would give it to him, if only to prevent himself from crucioing someone just because he was angry with them. He cringed and recoiled when the images of the screaming and moaning old man came in his thoughts. He was afraid of himself because Albus did not have any control over his own anger. He had cruioed a spider and imperioused a dog just because he was bored and had been about to crucio Parkinson in the great hall yesterday because she had latched herself on Scorpius. Scorpius's sudden and disapproving glare directed towards her was the only thing that had prevented him from casting the curse. He had just cast a mild and temporary freezing curse on her hands that were resting on Scorpius's shoulder and that had been that.

"Albus, please-" Marcus's rather insistent and hard cock and a quite needy moan brought him out of his musings and he kissed his lips softly. "Come on Marcus. Let us go to the pub now. It's already late, sweetheart."

Albus pulled back and smirked when Marcus just stared at him in lust and longing.

"Albus, please. I –I need-" Marcus walked towards him and he backed off, still smirking. Marcus swallowed a couple of times and opened his mouth and Albus had to avert his eyes because he himself was aroused and wanted to fuck Marcus. Marcus was looking very dashing and it had been a long time and Albus had to control himself. The only thing honest in Marcus was his fascination and longing for Albus.

It took only a couple of minutes for Marcus to join two and two and he muttered "You bastard. You utter moron."

Albus turned away from him and walked towards the door. "You could always just leave me and get done with it. I am not forcing you to do anything. I will not have you make me feel as if I am getting you raped or assaulted in any way. There is a difference between both of us, you see and it's not like you can't defend yourself. After all, you are the one who taught me Imperious and Cruciatus."

"You know very well that I can't use it in a pub full of wizards. You want me to dance naked in front of filthy mudbloods and halfbloods" Marcus almost hissed and Albus snapped back dangerously, not even bothering to look at the red eyed bastard "First of all, look here, you bastard. Don't take that tone with me. Do you understand?" but Marcus did not answer so he repeated "I said. Do. You. Understand."

Finally, Marcus replied softly "Yes. Yes. I understand."

"Secondly, like I said, you are free get out of my room and my life too if you want. If you want to live with me, you will live according to me. This is the punishment of lying to me. If I want to punish you my making you dance naked in front of thousands of wizards, then you will dance and if I want to deep throat you while a third person fucks you dirty, then you will accept it too. It's nothing you don't deserve. You always reap what you sow, Marcus and you will reap it and so will I. Of course you could just get out and done with everything. Is this understood?" Albus finished and waited, his heart beating rapidly. He had taken a huge risk by saying it. He had left the decision on Marcus and it was quite possible that Marcus would prefer to just leave him but then Marcus breathed deeply and replied very softly "You could have said all this softly too. You didn't have to shout at me."

Albus wanted to slap him hard but he stayed put at the door with his hand at the knob "I will wait for you at the entrance of 'Forbidden Desires'. Don't be late." Having said this, Albus left the room and stuck his hands inside his robe pockets and walked towards the exit of Hogwarts."

XXXX

Scorpius followed Albus and apparated in front of 'Forbidden Desires' under his cloak. Albus stood there waiting for Riddle who arrived in a couple of minutes. He was hot and he was obviously aroused. Albus held his hand and ushered him in and Scorpius noticed the way Riddle leant inside him.

Scorpius followed under his cloak. Albus dragged a very reluctant and aroused Riddle towards the stage. The pub was totally packed and people were eagerly waiting for the dancing to start and it seemed that Riddle wanted to run away from there. Nevertheless, Albus dragged him towards the dais and hands touched Riddle's arse and Scorpius saw someone squeeze it. He turned and looked dangerously, searching for the intrusive hand. Of course, he couldn't.

Finally, Albus reached the dais and screamed cheerfully "Hello, people. Today, I have a special treat for you. This beautiful, charming man is my darling boyfriend Marcus Tom Riddle and will give you a solo pole dancing show tonight."

The pub buzzed with cheerful shouts and yells and Riddle backed off. The stage was large and had two to three poles but Albus flicked his wand and the stage shrunk to a small area containing a single pole.

Someone shouted from the crowd "WE want a strip show from your beautiful boyfriend not pole dancing." And Albus yelled back "Well, that depends on the number of votes in favour of strip show. Let's see. Who wants a strip show instead of pole dancing? COME ON PEOPLE."

Scorpius saw Riddle nudge Albus and whisper something in his ear. Of course, he was saying that he did not want it and Albus simply looked towards the exit and Riddle shook his head. Of course, it was nothing Riddle did not deserve. The man had ruined Mandy's school life. She couldn't walk in a single class without having students look at her private parts. Some even took the liberty to pick the hem of her skirt. Students were punished and given detentions but the position did not change at all. She had stopped getting out of her dorms at all when someone had drawn a vulgar picture of her in the great Hall. No one blamed her and no one forced her to come outside, not even Harry.

"STRIP SHOW. STRIP SHOW. STRIP SHOW."

"OK THEN SPECIAL STRIP SHOW FOR ALL OF YOU." Albus shouted and he was smirking. Scorpius stared at Albus. The green eyes were smirking at Riddle and Riddle was looking all over the pub, sweating profusely. It was obvious that Albus had known this would happen and he had wanted this to happen.

_Bloody hell. He is giving him a dose of his own medicine._

Albus pressed a mocking and open mouthed and a very sensual kiss on his mouth and Riddle bloody moaned in Albus's mouth which was of course a very wrong step. The shouts and screams increased "STRIP. TAKE IT ALL OFF." and Riddle was turning increasingly pale.

Having done what he had intended, Albus got down and wizards huddled close to the small dais. Riddle wanted to disappear from there. He couldn't simply curse Crucio every visible wizard, of course. Scorpius would have felt pity for Riddle but tear streaked face of Mandy made him sneer at the boy.

"STRIP. STRIP."

Everyone shouted and finally Riddle started. He shrugged off his robe and started dancing sinuously. His face was blank and he was looking at Albus. The shirt followed the robe a couple of minutes later and so did the trousers. Their stood Riddle in his under-things, dancing and shaking his arse and his eyes were looking murderously at anyone who dared to approach him.

He took off his vest and threw it away and the shouts increased tenfold. Bloody Merlin, his chest was hairless and it was simply mouth-watering.

"Take it off. Take it off. Take it off."

Riddle froze and looked directly at Albus and Scorpius could simply stare when Albus smirked coldly in response. Riddle shook his head a little and Albus glared at him. Riddle sighed and touched the hem of his underwear.

Riddle danced and kept his hand on the hem but did not take it off. He bent and swayed his arse and then stood up and played with the hem but did not take it off. Scorpius noticed Albus glaring at him and he knew that Albus won't give up. He was right. Albus walked gracefully on the dais and Riddle practically swallowed nervously. Even Scorpius could see the beads of sweat that trickled down Marcus's body.

XXXX

 


	17. Punishment Part II

**_Chapter-16_ **

**_Punishment Part II_ **

Albus sneered menacingly and marched ahead. This was the last step and he did not want to do it. But he would because it would tell Marcus that there were no limits Albus won't cross to punish him.

With a dark grin on his face, he walked on the dais and grabbed Marcus by his elbows and then twisted his arms to his back and held his hands together in one of his hand. The crowd had become totally silent.

"Marcus darling, I want you to blow me off." He smirked when Marcus's jaw fell open in shock.

He closed it after a couple of seconds and swallowed. He spoke when he could gather some courage "Let's go back. I will blow you off in your room."

"Why not here?" He asked innocently because if Marcus could make a little girl blow three hulks off, he could do the same in front of others too.

"There are people-" He stammered and Albus tightened his hold on his hands. With his free hand, he traced Marcus's lower lip.

"That's the point. You see, sweetheart. I want to punish you. I want to teach you a lesson. This is the best, fairest and the most fitting way.

"If-If I refuse." Marcus asked and Albus smirked "Why, darling, I will leave you and you will be on your own after that. If you want that, then be my guest. Should I escort you outside?"

"No-No." Marcus spoke and Albus sneered "Then kneel."

"Anyone might come and I-" Marcus protested weakly as Albus traced his nipples with his fingers. He moaned when Albus pinched his nipples and his hands reached for Albus's shoulders weakly. The brown nipples were hard and pert and he took the left one in his mouth and sucked on it. Marcus moaned throatily and the crowd cheered. "TAKE IT OFF. TAKE IT OFF." Marcus had turned crimson but he could not stop another loud moan from escaping his mouth when Albus grazed his teeth on the tip. The bulge inside Marcus's underwear grew more pronounced and the crowd shouted "Take it off. Let us see. TAKE IT OFF. OFF. OFF."

"Albus please." Marcus pleaded him but that was not what Albus wanted to hear from him so he continued his ministrations. He took his other nipple in his mouth and sucked on it and bit on it. The whimper that had escaped from Marcus's mouth turned into a moan and Albus could see that Marcus's covered cock was as hard as a rock.

"Take it off. TAKE IT OFF. TAKE IT OFF."

"How does it feel Marcus? How does it feel to be displayed naked in front of so many people? Does it feel nice?" Albus whispered seductively. "I would bend you on my knees and spank your naked arse in punishment and give them a nice show at the same time but I have decided to spare you the humiliation."

Marcus sighed in relief and Albus smirked "I want you to blow me off, darling. Kneel."

"Albus. Please forgive me." He begged and Albus wanted to punch him but he had to make it humiliating not painful for him.

"Did you show mercy on Mandy? She is a twelve year old little girl." He sneered and Marcus took a very wrong step. He lied again "I didn't do it. I didn't get it done."

Albus glared at him. He knew that Marcus had been behind all this. "You never learn, do you? BLOODY PATHETIC LIER. I want you to kneel and unbutton my trousers. You will take my cock out and you will not undress me. Is that understood?"

"But-"

"Either get on with what I want or get out of my life. I won't keep any relation with a monster." Albus sneered and Marcus nodded reluctantly. Albus was very satisfied when people started shouting and mocking Marcus because he was kneeling in front of Albus and they wanted his underwear to be off. Albus had a perfect plan and it was working out perfectly. By the end of it, Marcus would be terrified of him and would hopefully stop terrorising Britain.

A red cheeked Marcus opened his zipper and took his cock out. Albus sighed in frustration. He hated it. He hated bloody exhibitionism and it was all Marcus's fault.

Red with fury, he grabbed Marcus by hair and thrusted his cock inside his mouth. He did not give Marcus any time to adjust. He thrust in and out, in and out and he kept on thrusting. Marcus's eyes watered and he clutched his hips pleadingly. But Albus did not stop. He smirked when he saw a handsome brunette bloke dressed in leather trousers and tight shirt arrive behind Marcus. He winked at Albus and tore Marcus's underwear.

Marcus's eyes became wide and their eyes met. Albus grabbed his head painfully and kept his cock inside his throat. Marcus struggled a little and his eyes watered when the man caressed his buttocks. Tears trickled down his cheeks when Albus did not stop the man from stroking his arse softly and continued thrusting in his mouth painfully.

A drop of blood escaped the corner of his mouth and Albus felt rotten because he had not wanted to become like Marcus. But there was no way to stop Marcus. Marcus needed to be afraid of Albus there was no other way but still when the man unbuttoned his own trousers and the crowd shouted "FUCK HIM. FUCK HIM." and the man reached Marcus's arse lovingly, Scorpius's face came in Albus's mind. Scorpius would not want Albus to let this happen and the purpose had already been accomplished. He had done the impossible. Marcus was looking at him in absolute terror. There was no point of letting anyone else fuck Marcus. That would be rape and Albus could not stoop that low.

He flicked his wand and the man went flying on the floor. The crowd parted and became very quiet. Albus pulled his cock outside Marcus's mouth and dragged him up. He felt rotten and he did not want to look at himself in the mirror. But he did. He glared at the man who was looking at him with shocked eyes "Who gave you the permission to touch him? I should simply throw you in prison and I will if you do not get out of here in another minute."

The man fled off and the crowd stood looking at Marcus in lust. Marcus was trying to hide behind him and he snapped at them "What are you waiting for? The show is over. Go and drink or dance or whatever it is that you bastards do."

They dispersed and with a flick of wand Marcus was dressed again. "Accio Marcus Riddle's wand." The wand came flying in his hand and he looked at Marcus's eyes. Albus did not know what Marcus saw in his eyes but eyes that had had tears seconds before were wide in shock and he held Albus's shoulders "Albus, calm down."

"Don't touch me. I – I am so disgusted of you." Albus sneered at him and he felt so bloody lost. All he wanted was to hug Scorpius and he was bloody stuck in this mess.

Another flick of wand and the blood stain had gone from Marcus's lips. But the humiliated and terrified look in Marcus's eyes had not gone yet and Marcus backed off when he heard the coldness in Albus's voice.

"I- I am sorry." He stuttered and Albus sneered at him "You are not sorry. You are lying."

"I love you." He confessed and Albus stared at him. He had not known this. But Marcus was not lying about this. It was clear from his eyes. And for the very first time, Albus pitied Marcus because Albus had given his heart to Scorpius and would never love anyone else.

"That is not enough. You are a monster. My father destroyed one and I can destroy the other. If I have to sacrifice my own sanity for that, then so be it." Albus whispered in a low voice. He himself did not know what he sounded like but Marcus backed off, with a soft mumble "I will be in your room."

"Okay. Go." Marcus looked at him with a strange look in his eyes. He looked desperate and scared at the same time. A minute later, he left quietly and Albus stood alone at the dais, watching him leave.

XXXX

Scorpius had not yet recovered from his shock. It was an utter shock that Albus could go to this extent. He had used the extendable ears and used to hear what Albus was talking about. The look in Albus's eyes terrified him. He looked- Scorpius couldn't find a word to describe it. He looked trapped though Scorpius did not know in what. He heard the words but couldn't understand the meaning. He stored the memory in his mind for later study.

He was so bloody shocked that he did not even notice that he had taken off the cloak and stored it in his pocket. When Albus walked down the dais and saw him, his face turned red and then white and that was the moment when Scorpius noticed that he did not have his cloak on.

It was pure luck that he heard Eric's cheerful voice before Albus's.

"Scorpiusssss." Eric shouted from somewhere behind him and Albus's white face became red and his eyes turned very dangerous.

"Coming. Wait." He answered eric and tried to look sheepishly at Albus. Albus crossed his arms and glared at Eric, though the other boy was not in a position to notice it.

"What are you doing with him?" Albus asked and Scorpius tried to smile.

He grimaced instead "I came on a date, you se-see." Albus was looking at a very drunk Eric with such a potent rage that Scorpius was scared for Eric.

"Scorpius darling." Eric crooned suddenly and hugged him from behind. He had broken it off with Eric and Eric was too drunk to notice Albus's rage. He licked Scorpius's ears and Scorpius looked at Albus in alarm. Albus's wand arm was twitching and he was glaring murderously at Eric.

Scorpius took a deep breath and turned to face a very happily drunk Eric Zabini who slumped in his arms "Hmmmm. You are very sweet, Scorp. Hmmmm" and licked a stripe on his neck. Albus was still standing behind him and rage was emanating from his body and bloody Eric couldn't handle his liquor. He was a very romantic drunk and Albus would torture Eric to insanity. Scorpius simply knew this.

"Bloody Riddle turned me on, Scorp. Let's go to your room. Good that you are the head boy. Personal room. Hmmmm. Delicious." Eric nipped Scorpius's ear lobe and he reeked of alcohol. Scorpius grimaced and pushed Eric. "Eric. Why do you drink so much if you can't handle your liquor?"

"Shhhoooorrryyy."

"Okay. Just lean on me. Don't kiss or anything. Okay. I will stitch your lips together." He warned and Eric said the wrong thing again. He bloody giggled and tickled his ear with the tip of his tongue "My kinky bastard." And then he giggled again.

Albus was beyond furious. His chest was heaving and his mouth was open in a snarl and his wand was pointed towards Eric. He looked completely insane and it was beyond anything Scorpius could really handle at that moment.

"Albus just return to Hogwarts. We need to talk and we will talk later." He tried to sooth Albus but Albus growled at him "Talk. TALK."

Scorpius placed an unconscious Eric on the floor and stood with crossed arms and a very firm stance in front of Albus "I am not Marcus. Don't talk like this with me. Talk like a civil human being or fuck off. I am not your bloody personal property and I will not let you speak like this."

 _Bloody hell._ Instead of glaring, Albus's stance changed. His wand was about to fall and it seemed that he will slump in Scorpius's arms. Scorpius held his shoulders and whispered softly, trying to understand "What's the matter? You have to tell me. I can help you."

Two things happened at the same time. Eric suddenly stood up and hugged Scorpius tightly from behind and Albus shrugged his hand off as if he was burned.

"You cannot help me. Just go and sleep with your various boyfriends. Forget me." Albus shouted and stormed away from the pub and it was the strangest thing Scorpius had seen. His eyes asked Scorpius to help him but his lips said something else.

"Hmmmm. Scorpppppiussss." Eric slurred and Scorpius rubbed his forehead tiredly and decided to think about it when he had handled the danger Eric was in from Albus now.

XXXX

"Bloody hell, Scorpius. I am so sorry." Eric whispered, settled down on the couch in Scorpius's room.

Scorpius rubbed his forehead and muttered "Sorry does not solve anything. Listen to me carefully okay. This must remain amongst both of us."

Eric nodded and Scorpius continued "You will go to sleep and set an alarm of about ten minutes." Eric nodded, confused.

"When you will wake up, I will be gone. If I do not return in quarter of an hour, you will find me in Boys showers." He continued and Eric nodded "Are you sure Scorpius?"

"Yes. Now go to sleep." Scorpius spoke and Eric lay down on his bed and closed his eyes.

After making it sure that Eric was sleeping, Scorpius stood up and put Eric's hair in polyjuice potion. It tasted weird and it took a few minutes to complete the transformation. It was so strange to look in the mirror and find Eric's image instead of his. Scorpius sighed and walked out of his room waiting for the ambush.

He had just entered when Albus ambushed him. He closed the door and muttered " _Accio wand_ " His wand flew in Albus's hand and Albus kept it on the sink.

"Potter, look-" He started trying to resemble Eric and backed off.

"CRUCIOOOOOOOO" Albus shouted and Scorpius went flying to the back wall. "What do you think of yourself, Zabini. He is mine. MINE. CRUCIOOOOO."

Scorpius screamed in pain. The pain was sudden and every part of his body ached.

"How dare you touch him? He is MINE. MINE. You had NO RIGHT." Albus screamed and Scorpius whispered "But you- you and Riddle."

"HOW DARE YOU. CRUCIOOOOOO."

Scorpius shouted and his head slammed in the wall and he shouted in pain again.

"CRUCIOOOOOO. I hate you so much. Had you not lured him into your bed, this would never have happened. It's your fault. YOUR FAULT. CRUCIOOOOOOOO."

Scorpius shouted and blood trickled from his lips. Albus looked completely insane now "CRUCIIIIIOOOOOOO. My Scorpius. MINE. MINE. MINE."

"Potter, please." And Albus kicked him in the shins. "CRUCIIIIOOOOOO."

"CRUCIIIIIOOOO." Scorpius shouted from the pain caused by twin crucios and he had not recovered yet when Albus shouted again

"CRUCCCCCIIIOOOO. CRUCCCCIIIIIOOOOO. CRRRRRUUUUUCCCCCIIIOOOO."

 _Bloody fucking Merlin._ He was about to die. It hurt so bloody much that Scorpius thought he would die.

He stared when the wand suddenly fell from Albus's hand and he looked at him and blinked and blinked again. It was like he had come out of a trance and he looked wretched and miserable suddenly.

"Potter, wait." But Albus did not wait. He picked up his wand and fled away from there.

"Bloody Hell." Scorpius muttered and his eye rolled on his back and everything was black after that.

XXXX

 


	18. Repercussions Part I

**_Chapter-17_ **

**_Repercussions_ **

Scorpius was currently sitting in front a very angry Harry Potter and a very worried Draco Malfoy. As promised, Eric had arrived on time. He had been so panicked that he had had no other alternative but to take him to father's quarters and of course Harry was there as well. Scorpius had once again spent the night in there room and they had used the spare room in there quarters.

"This is very serious. You do not understand my concerns." Harry had been yelling at him for the past half an hour and he had been just sitting in front of him, listening to the man quietly. Father had cast the silencing charm and Scorpius had chosen to let him vent out.

"Eric was not harmed." He argued once Harry had quietened.

"You were harmed Scorpius. Harry is right. Albus is becoming a danger to the students. You would have died if Eric had been late." Father whispered tiredly.

"There is something that none of us know-" He started speaking, his eyes on the table.

"You know what I know. I know what happened yesterday and do you know how I know that. I know that because it is all over the Daily Prophet today. What happened at the pub-" Harry crossed his arms and stood behind father's chair. Scorpius stared at them. He knew that he shouldn't but he felt a little jealous of them. They had such a perfect relation but he was glad for them too. They deserved to be happy after everything they had gone through.

"It was completely consensual." Scorpius whispered and continued "I was there so I know. It was consensual. He had given the option to walk out to Riddle, not once but thrice. Riddle deserved it for ruining Mandy's life. He deserved everything he got. Besides, had Albus had not had senses, that man would have raped Riddle. Albus stopped it from happening. It means that something is wrong with Albus. I know what I saw."

Harry looked at him, his arms still crossed with pursed lips. Father snapped at him furiously "He crucioed you and you are defending him. He has gone insane and should be interrogated by the aurors."

Scorpius couldn't control his fury. His patience had finally worn thin "I am warning you, both of you. Listen to me carefully."

"Scorpius" Father started and stopped when harry squeezed his shoulders.

He slammed his hands on the table and looked at them with steeled eyes "I am warning both of you to stay out of my way. I will bring him back and I will not have you throw him in prison for something you don't understand. If I have to fight my fathers to save my partner, then so be it. I will fight you to my last breathe. He is not insane and he will not be thrown in prison." When he was at the door, he whispered "Rest assured, Eric will receive an apology and a gift from Albus by today evening without any persuasion or convincing. This is my promise to both of you."

Having said this, Scorpius walked out of the room with his nose in the air.

XXXX

"Draco." Harry whispered, staring at the spot Scorpius had been standing minutes back.

"Yes." Draco asked and stared up at his husband and smiled. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's neck and whispered "I am proud of your son. I think my son chose well."

"I am also proud of Scorpius. You know what I think, Harry." Draco asked and kissed Harry's wrist.

"What?" He asked

"I think that Albus is just like you." Draco replied and Harry looked at him with a confused frown "Why do you think so?"

"You will realize soon enough." He chuckled when Harry glared at him playfully.

"Draco." He kissed Draco's chin and asked.

"Yes." Draco brushed his lips with Harry's after replying.

"Have I told you lately that I love you the most in this whole world?" Harry asked, his face resting on Draco's shoulder. Draco smiled and placed his head on Harry's and held his hands "No. I don't think so."

"Well, I do. I love you the most and you are the sweetest person I have ever known." Harry kissed his lips softly and continued "yum and the most delicious too."

"I love you too and I think that you are the sweetest and the most delicious person on this earth. " Draco argued and nipped his ear playfully.

"You are."

"No, you are."

"Blonde Prat"

"Four-eyed Git."

"Your four-eyed git"

"Only mine. Always."

XXXX

Albus had returned to his room, feeling absolutely wretched. He had never felt so rotten and out of control. He did not deserve to be free. His anger out of his control. How could he have cursed Zabini just because he was bloody jealous of him? He had rushed towards his bathroom and had ignored Marcus's yells and pleas to talk to him. Even if Marcus was a monster, he did love Albus and Albus knew that he was worried about Albus.

He had looked at his reflection in the mirror and realized that he could no longer recognise himself. His eyes were red rimmed and he was breathing hard and there were dark circles under his dull, haunted eyes. He realized that his eyes were not at all normal. He looked insane and Albus was bloody terrified of everything. He looked at his hands. They were trembling. His wand fell from his hands and he just stared at his trembling hands. When had they started trembling so much? When was the last time he had cracked a smile or laughed?

He wanted to cry and scream and wail at the unfairness because sweet Merlin, he needed help. He needed to talk to Scorpius. Only he would be able to control Albus. He could not talk to Scorpius because Scorpius won't let him carry on his plan to weaken Marcus. Marcus had not left any bloody evidence against him. He was not afraid of anyone except him. There was no one whom Marcus loved except Albus and Albus couldn't afford even a moment of weakness in front of the insane bastard.

He had cast the strongest silencing charm on the door. He heard Marcus calling him repeatedly. His voice was frantic and worried and Albus felt nothing but anger and disgust towards him. He had lured Albus towards darkness and madness. Albus had never wanted all this. He had cursed Zabini so much. Zabini might have died if he had not bloody stopped.

When did he turn into a murderer? When did he become an insane madman who did not have any control on himself?

 _Scorpius_ He hissed. He bloody wanted Scorpius. He needed him. It was desperation that had forced him to cry and slide down the bathroom wall. He had hugged his knees and rocked forward and backward hissing loudly " _Scorpius. Please. Scorpius. I need your help. Please."_

It was desperation that had made him hiss loudly for Scorpius. Silencing charm prevented Marcus from hearing anything at all and he was glad for that. He was vulnerable and he could not be vulnerable in front of Marcus. He had to keep his dangerous, mad facade up if he wanted to have an upper hand on him.

He had fallen asleep on the floor in his bathroom and when he woke up to the feeling of soft bed sheet beneath him, it surprised him for a few moments. More surprising was the hard cock that was rubbing his cleft. Anger flared inside him when he realized what Marcus was doing.

Marcus moaned desperately and his fury made Albus tremble. He could have blasted the whole room but he turned to face Marcus and their eyes met. Marcus's red eyes were filled with lust and longing and desperation and Albus's were furious. He held Marcus's throat with his hands and squeezed it angrily "Who gave you the right to touch my arse? When did I permit you to fuck me? You will not touch me over there. You will be the one who will be fucked and you will not touch me over there at all. Consider this a warning, Marcus. You are testing my patience a lot these days. Do you have a death wish? Why do you have to make me so mad? Can I not have a moment of peace around you?" All the while, he strangled Marcus's throat and Marcus tried to get his hands off in vain.

But, when Marcus's eyes widened in alarm, Albus removed his hand and closed his eyes to control his fury.

"I am sorry." Marcus whispered and Albus wanted to scream at him that he was not bloody sorry for anything and that Albus knew that he would never be sorry and that love was not bloody enough but he just opened his eyes and looked at the red eyed man who was now propped on his elbows and was looking at him cautiously, his eyes still reflected his lust and longing.

Albus realized that he was hard. Even if he despised Marcus and everything he stood for, his body had responded to Marcus's ministrations and he wanted to relieve himself. He looked at Marcus with hard eyes and moved closer to him. Marcus wanted to kiss him but he did not want to kiss the bastard.

"Will you not even talk to me? Have you not punished me enough yesterday?" Marcus murmured desperately when Albus merely turned his face and Marcus's lips fell on Albus's cheeks instead. Albus ignored his words and rubbed their erections together. He did not touch any other part of Marcus's body. He did not want to. He just wanted relief and wanted to get done with it. He did not love Marcus and would not make love to him.

Even when Marcus complied with him and rubbed his erection with Albus and moaned, he whispered, his hands on Albus's shoulders. "Please, Albus. I love you."

Albus kept his hands on Marcus's waist and looked at Marcus blankly "And I don't. I never loved you and you know it."

They quietened for a bit and Albus moaned and started rubbing fast and hard against Marcus's cock. A couple of minutes later, they screamed and came on the white sheets. Albus tried to crawl out of the bed and Marcus stopped him "Then why are you here, with me? What is the point of staying with me?"

Albus shrugged Marcus's hands roughly from his forearm and crawled out of the bed. He was on the bathroom door when he whispered; almost brokenly "Scorpius would never take me back now. He deserves better." and he meant those words.

As he took the shower and reflected on his words, he realized that Scorpius did deserve better, that he deserved a normal boy like Zabini and that Albus needed to apologise to the boy and ask him to take care of Scorpius. That was the least he could do for Scorpius and apologizing to Zabini would ease the guilt he felt, if only a little. He also needed to find out the plans of Marcus. He had kept the boy sufficiently distracted but now Marcus would be free and his devious mind would be scheming something and Albus needed to prevent any more havoc and destruction.

He turned the shower off and slammed his wet forehead on the wall, thinking _More torture. No end of this bloody insanity. No moment of peace. Bloody hell_ and summoned his shirt, trousers and school robes a couple of minutes later to get ready.

XXXX

 


	19. Repercussions Part II

**_ Chapter-18 _ **

**_ Repercussions Part II _ **

Eric was having his lunch quietly. The great hall was more or less quiet after what had happened with Mandy. They were waiting, perhaps for the next attack. Eric had known that Scorpius had suffered in his place yesterday but Scorpius had asked him not to ask any questions so he had stayed quiet. He knew the reason too. Aurors could force Veritaserum on him and Scorpius wanted to save whosoever it was and Scorpius is his best friend. He trusts his judgement and so he had stayed quiet. He did wonder who it was.

Albus Potter’s soft and apologetic voice brought him out of his musings.

“Ummm. Zabini. Could I talk to you for a minute, perhaps, that is if you are done with your lunch?” Potter asked and Eric stared at Albus and so did the whole great hall. Even professors were watching them cautiously now.

They had read the Prophet of course, though Eric had not needed to. He had been there to watch the whole incident and he had teased and mocked Riddle along with the rest of the school since morning and had enjoyed it. He wondered why Potter had done it. There had to be a reason for this sudden and drastic change in Potter.

“Zabini, er, will you reply? Everyone is staring.” Potter asked him softly and he nodded, directing him towards the door “I am done. Let’s talk.”

He turned to look at Scorpius who had a concerned frown on his face. Eric wondered why but had no time to ask. Potter had a wrapped package in his hands and Eric looked at it curiously.

The exited the great hall, Potter with his face lowered on the floor. Two pairs of eyes followed them. One was merely concerned and belonged to Scorpius and the other was sharp and furious and belonged to Riddle. The door closed and Potter turned towards him and cleared his throat. His eyes were bloody haunted and apologetic and Eric was confused as hell when he extended the wrapped package towards him.

“I – I am sorry for yesterday. I brought this as a sorry gift for you. There are some chocolates in it.” Potter had his hands extended, the wrapped package resting on his hands and all Eric could do was stare, confusion and shock mingled in his gaze.

“Sorry for what, May I know.” He asked politely and this time it was Potter who stared at him “I cru- crucioed you yesterday.”

Eric’s jaw dropped in utter shock and his eyes widened and of course potter realized that it was not him yesterday. It was written all over his face so he cleared his throat, composed his face and spoke “It was not me you crucioed. Sweet Merlin, Potter. I don’t believe it. You were the one who- it’s unbelievable. You-“

Potter interrupted his babble “Who was he if not you?” His eyes were pained and so guilty and Eric couldn’t reveal Scorpius’s identity so he merely said “He is your well wisher, perhaps the one who wants best for you, considering the extent he went for you yesterday. He would have died, you understand and when you would have realized his true identity, you would have died too. No one would have needed to kill you. You would have killed yourself. Why did you crucio him?”

“I was so bloody angry. I –I can’t say anymore than that. Would you tell me who he was so that I can at least apologize?” He asked a little desperately and Eric shook his head apologetically “Sorry, but I have promised that I can’t. I want to but I can’t say his name. I will give the chocolates to him.”

Potter nodded and handed over the package to him with a pained expression on his face “Zabini, I want to say something.”

“Shoot.” Eric replied.

“You are good for Scorpius, normal and simple. You can keep him happy. I would not come in between both of you if you want to pursue him. I want him to be happy.” Potter said and Eric stared at him, surprised that Potter did not know Scorpius at all.

“Late for that, eh, or shall I say that he will never be mine, not in this lifetime at least?” He said softly and Potter stared at him “Why.”

Eric felt laughter bubble in his mouth and he burst laughing hard “Honestly Potter, you are the most silly and blind fellow I have ever seen. If, for you, he can go to the extent of-” and Eric closed his mouth with a pop and stared at him in desperation. He wanted to tell Potter but he couldn’t betray his friend so he stayed quiet.

XXXX

Albus froze and a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead when he heard the last sentence. “What do you mean by that? What extent are you talking about?”

Zabini shook his head and mumbled “You should work on your anger management issues Potter. I will give the chocolates to him. Goodday.” and then Zabini fled from there. Albus stood frozen for a very long time, deep in his thoughts.

“Albus, why are you standing here?” Rose asked him and he shook his head desperately. Merlin, he missed Rose so much. He couldn’t allow her into his darkness, though so he left without another word and ignored her pleas of concern. He wandered through the corridors and passed empty classrooms, his head reeling.

The image of an old man looking in anger at him and Marcus came in his mind and then a thought popped from somewhere that if that man had been a muggle, then he should have died under the effect of so many crucios. Why did he not die? Scorpius had been missing that night. He had missed dinner.

Another thought popped up that only Scorpius had known the extent of his anger yesterday night. He was in front of the empty Potions classroom when he realized that it might have been Scorpius in disguise of that old man and Zabini. The thought brought bile in his throat and he ran to the nearest bathroom. Absently, he heard some footsteps running behind him but he did not look back to see who he was. He slammed open the bathroom door and threw up in a pot.

“Albus, what’s the matter?” It was Scorpius. Bloody Scorpius who had probably suffered under the effect of his countless crucioes. He couldn’t face him right now. So he mumbled “Go away.”

“I am opening the door.” Scorpius called and Albus hugged his knees on the floor, hiding his ashamed face in his knees. How could he have cursed Scorpius. He will never forgive himself.

“Albus, please talk to me.” Scorpius squatted in front of him and Albus looked adamantly on his own knees. “Go away.”

“Please talk to me. Please.” Scorpius begged him. He bloody BEGGED him and Albus couldn’t just tell him everything. Scorpius would never let him continue this insanity and he did not want Marcus to hurt anyone else like he hurt Mandy.

“Please. Please.”

Albus looked at him and snarled “BLOODY FUCK OFF. GO AWAY. GO AWAY. GO AWAY.”

Scorpius looked at him calmly and drawled “When you are done being a stubborn git, come and talk to me. Your shouting and snarling does not intimidate me Albus. Don’t force me to drag you by your hand and lock you in my room after confiscating your wand. My patience is already wearing thin with you. You know me enough to know that I won’t just back out and leave you. I WILL drag you if you don’t come back to your senses soon.”

Albus could just stare as Scorpius continued, still settled on his haunches in front of him “I have had enough and I don’t care what anybody says or wants me to do. I will do what I think is right. Don’t let me find you continuing your madness and insanity. Do you understand? Date others if you must but cease involving yourself in foolish activities. Consider yourself warned.”

Albus could only stare when Scorpius’s stern eyes softened and he kissed his forehead softly before getting up and leaving. It was so very strange that Scorpius had admonished him but Albus could feel warmth seeping inside him and calmness settle over him.

He still felt wretched and guilty for crucioing Scorpius but now he felt something else too. He felt.... hope.

He decided to work on controlling his anger. He did not want to hurt anyone. They were someone’s children or partner or parents too. He had no right to hurt anyone and he did not want to.

He still could not back off though. He had to keep Marcus on his toes though the fact that Scorpius was watching over him warmed him and frightened him too. The fact that Scorpius had disguised as someone else and suffered under cruciatus curse saddened him to no end. It did not just sadden him. It burnt him from inside and a black fury rose inside him, a fury that he couldn’t cool off because he couldn’t discuss this with Scorpius yet.

Scorpius would drag him away from Marcus if he realized what Albus was trying to do. He will never let him sacrifice his sanity, not even for saving the entire wizarding world, because that was what was happening. Albus felt rotten after hurting Marcus even if Marcus was in fact an insane bastard and his insanity knew no bounds after those incidents when he cruised anyone or hurt Marcus.

Scorpius won’t care about anyone but him. Scorpius was not Albus Dumbledore and did not believe in greater good.

XXXX

 

 


	20. Insanity and Cruelty

**_Chapter-19_ **

**_Insanity and Cruelty_ **

Marcus glared at Malfoy and followed him silently. He was forcibly sorted into Gryffindor. He was a Slytherin at heart, just like his ancestors had been. He knew how to sneak and he walked very silently, so as not to alert Malfoy and was successful. He heard and saw everything that happened in the bathroom and he was bloody jealous and furious. Albus would not listen to him. He would not let him fuck him but he let bloody Malfoy dominate him completely. What did Malfoy have that he did not?

Albus had exposed him in front of a room filled with mudbloods and half-bloods and he had been furious and though he had been given a choice to just walk out, it had not really been a choice at all. How could he simply walk out of Albus's life? He had committed only one mistake in life and that was falling in love. He had fallen hard for Albus and could not leave him. So he had simply complied with him and danced fucking naked in front of at least a hundred people. Apparently, it had not been enough. Albus had not even let him kiss him on lips, let alone fuck him. Albus had not even wanted to look at him.

_If this is what love makes you feel, I do not want to be in love with you Albus. For all I care, go to hell._

It was in a fit of anger that he had preponed his plan and had called an early meeting with his servants. This time, he had called five. Avery, Quirrell, Mulciber and Carrow brothers were perfect for this task.

"Have you understood the task?" He asked coldly.

"Yes my lord. Who is supposed to be our victim?" Alec Carrow drawled.

"Lucien Porter."

"But my lord, she is-"

"You dare defy me?" Marcus asked dangerously and he might have glared menacingly at them but he couldn't reveal his identity so he kept his face hidden under a hood and cast a non verbal crucio on each of them.

"N- n- n-n-no my lord."

"We apologise , my lord."

"Dismissed." Marcus hissed and they left.

He stared at the empty corridor and laughed maniacally, waiting for his plan to be set in motion.

XXXX

Lucien was going to Divinition. Firenze was really a very good teacher and she wanted to score good marks. Her parents had promised to purchase Firebolt 2600 for her if she scored well. That was not really why she wanted score good, though. She aspired to become a seer and Firenze had said that she could become a good seer. He said that she was truly gifted.

She must be gifted because she could sense that she was in grave danger even before the she was stupefied. She also knew that she would survive this and she also had a feeling about the identity of her saviour. But that did nothing to decrease the pain or trauma she went through in the next two hours.

XXXX

Albus was sitting in DADA and was noting down what dad had written on board. That was when he noticed that something was off with Marcus. He had returned from his meeting with Scorpius and was relaxed and calm. He had wanted to maintain the peace of his mind. Of course, he had been a fool to think so.

Marcus snickered and he turned to look at the boy. He was looking positively insane and Albus turned to look at his dad. His dad was sitting on his chair, having assigned the task of noting down to the students. He nudged Marcus and he looked at Albus and smirked deviously.

Albus frowned and mouthed dangerously "What have you done?"

To his surprise, Marcus laughed loudly and he stared at the red eyes that gleamed evilly.

"Please share the joke with us too, Mr. Riddle." Dad asked coldly and towered above them and Marcus smiled innocently "Oh! Forgive me professor for interrupting your class. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." Dad demanded and walked back to his seat, though he was watching them cautiously now.

It was a good thing that they were sitting at the furthermost bench. It was even better that nobody could watch where Albus put his hands. He held Marcus's fingers and Marcus smiled at him. His smile faltered when Albus pushed his fingers. It was Albus's turn to smile now. He held Marcus's wand hand and cast a non-verbal Crucio by pointing his wand towards Marcus under the desk and he cast a silencing charm along with it.

He created a bubble of privacy around them and created a disillusionment charm so that they would appear to be writing to anyone. Rose was the one who had taught him bubble of privacy and disillusionment charm. He would thank her later for the same.

Marcus screamed silently and his eyes became wide from pain.

"Tell me" Albus mouthed and Marcus shook his head, panting for breath and Albus crucioed him again and Marcus's head rolled to his back in pain. His eyes grew very frantic and Albus cast the curse again and again. Marcus had done something again and he wanted to know it and save the poor victim before something worse happened.

He mouthed again "Tell me Marcus. I will kill you." and he cast the curse again and again. Marcus screamed and his eyes watered. Each time Albus uttered the curse, it seemed to hit a place in his mind. It seemed to affect him and he realized that he did not want to cast it but there was no other alternative. He did not have any evidence against Riddle.

"Tell me." Finally, Marcus nodded and he sighed in relief. Marcus was out of breath but Albus wanted to know so he pushed his fingers and Marcus finally muttered "Severus Snape's old classroom."

He turned coldly towards Marcus and slapped him hard "If you still want a relationship with me, be there at my room after school today."

"Why should I want to be in a relation with you, eh?" Marcus sneered at him and Albus smirked evilly. He leant forward and brushed his lips with Marcus's. As expected, a look that consisted of pure longing and desperation shown in Marcus's eyes and Albus whispered softy and dangerously, "For all I care, fuck off."

He knew that Marcus would be there even though he knew that Albus would punish him tenfold again. He dispelled the bubble of privacy and stood up, turning towards dad. He must have looked frantic because dad stood up as well and so did Scorpius and Rose.

He walked with hurried steps towards his dad and muttered "Dad, please follow me outside."

Dad nodded and looked at the class "the class is dismissed. Please free to walk to your next class. Thank you."

When they were outside the class, he trembled and dad held his shoulders "What is the matter with you Albus?"

"Dad, Marcus- Uncle Severus's potions class room. I- please let me go dad." He whispered and ran towards the old potion class room. He could hear footsteps following him and it was a good thing. He knew that he would require help and perhaps they would be able to catch the culprit and interrogate him under Veritaserum.

He ran as if there was no tomorrow and reached the class room. There was a silencing charm on the door and with shaking hands, he spelled it open. It did not open though. There was a locking spell on it and he tried harder. It still did not open. Finally, dad reached him, panting for breath and he yelled "Open the door dad. It's locked."

"Stand aside." Dad shouted and Scorpius and Rose who had just reached them came to a halt.

"Rose, be prepared. I think I might require your help." He whispered and Rose replied a firm "ok."

"I am their too." Scorpius mumbled and Albus replied "I know" without turning towards him.

"Duplify Alohomora" Dad shouted and the door slammed open.

XXXX

Harry burst the door open and Merlin, the sight that greeted them stole his breath. As soon as the door opened, the people present their vanished and they heard there maniac laughter. They might have kept a portkey with them. Lucien Porter, a third year Gryffindor was standing and moaning loudly. She was naked and was bleeding from everywhere and she was bloody rubbing herself frantically. Her face was desperate and her legs were covered with blood, blood that seemed to be to flowing from everywhere. There was no time to even think anything. She pounced on Scorpius with a desperate intensity.

"Ah! Please fuck me. Please." She begged him and he tried to push her away.

"Porter, please."

"Please, please fuck me. Please." She launched on Albus and then at Harry. They were trying to control her but all in vain. Finally, Rose had the sense to cast a strong stupefy on the poor girl and she finally fell unconscious.

Scorpius swallowed bile and turned towards Albus who was looking at the girl with a hand on his mouth.

"I am taking her to the infirmary. I think she has been fed a very strong lust potion. Rose, please come with me. You can leave after we reach the infirmary." Harry whispered and Rose squeezed Albus's shoulders and spoke "I will talk to you later about this Albus. Please don't avoid me."

Albus did not reply but she did not have time to ask him again. She sighed and followed Harry to the infirmary. Scorpius closed the door and that unfroze Albus.

"Albus, please. Listen to me." Scorpius hugged an unresponsive Albus. "Albus, come out of it, please." He whispered softly and kissed his cheeks. Albus stood frozen, looking at the spot where the girl had been standing just minutes ago. The room reeked of sex. They could see semen at so many places, the wall, the broken benches and the black board. Scoprius really wanted to throw up but he controlled himself. There was blood everywhere. They had done the worst possible thing. He wondered if the girl will ever recover from the trauma.

There were blood droplets on their clothes and Scorpius was really terrified that Albus would do something completely immoral and against his own ethics to terrify Riddle.

"Albus." He did what he knew would elicit some kind of response from the other boy. He kissed his lips desperately and he succeeded. Albus wrapped his arms around Scorpius's waist and kissed him frantically as if this was the last time they were kissing. Albus was mapping his mouth with his tongue and making strange sounds in throat and he was shaking. With a jerk, he realised that Albus was sobbing in his arms.

Tears were trickling down his cheeks and his eyes were wide open, looking into Scorpius's and Scorpius hugged Albus close. After a couple of minutes, Albus pulled back and turned towards the door.

"Albus don't. We will find some other alternative." He murmured and Albus shook his head, looking at him with pain and desperation in his eyes.

"There is no other way. He leaves no evidence. They simply vanished as soon as we got in. I don't think catching them would do us any good. I don't think he has revealed himself to anyone." Albus whispered and took another step towards the door.

"You are angry and would do something regrettable. I can't lose you, please." Scorpius whispered and his voice carried the steel he wanted it to.

Albus breathed deeply twice and then turned towards him. His eyes were as cold as ice and his words were designed to blow Scorpius apart "You fucked Merlin knows how many people in this school behind my back and I want to break your record. I want to feel the excitement you felt and you have no right to stop me when you yourself did it so many times. You had threesomes and foursomes and I will do the same if I want to and you shouldn't stop me. You have no right to lecture me about right and wrong, considering your own immoral actions. Mind your own bloody business."

Scorpius staggered under the impact of the hissed words and he was hurt and he averted his eyes. When he composed himself and turned back towards Albus, the green eyed boy had already gone. A piece of paper flew towards him. He caught it and read it.

As expected, it read "I am sorry, so very sorry but I have to go. This is my fight and I must fight it. There is no other way. If I must destroy myself on the way, then so be it. I cannot let you ruin your life. You deserve a happy life and a nice partner, not a dark evil person like me, because that's what I am. I have already hurt you and I do not want to hurt you anymore. I cannot let this incidents repeat. I must do whatever is necessary to stop him. Please forgive me and stay out of my way."

The piece of paper fell from his hands and Scorpius ran desperately towards Albus's room. By the time, he reached the Gryffindor portrait and muttered the password; he was already out of breath. James called him and he ignored the boy. He reached Albus's room and realized that it was empty. He ran to the common room and James looked at him cautiously "What happened, Malfoy?"

"Where is Albus?" He asked frantically.

"He just left with Riddle. Why? What's the matter?" Potter stood up in alarm and walked towards him.

"Listen. I don't have time. Call Lily and Rose and Hugo and keep them with you. Do not let them leave in any circumstances unless the professors allow the students to leave. Keep an eye for my patronus. It is a Cobra." He said and Potter held his shoulders, his eyes trying to calm him down "Breathe in and out. You will wear yourself out and I will give you a piece of advice. If you can't get Albus out of it, then join him. Only you can be as stubborn as him. He will listen to you and only you."

Scorpius looked into his eyes and breathed deeply. After a couple of breaths, he murmured "Okay. Okay. I am fine. I am going to meet Harry and father. Call Lily, Rose and Hugo and keep them with you. DO NOT LET THEM LEAVE. On second thoughts, spread the word that there are death eaters amongst the students and that we don't know about the houses they belong to." Scorpius spoke hurriedly and fled out of the door towards Harry and father.

XXXX

 


	21. Patience worn thin

**_Chapter-20_ **

**_Patience worn thin_ **

Albus stormed towards Scorpius's room. He wondered if Scorpius would be angry at him for touching his personal brews. He didn't think so. He opened the door and entered the room. As usual, it was neatly kept, not even a single paper out of line. He walked towards Scorpius's bed and picked up his blanket and hugged it close to his heart. It was all Scorpius and Albus breathed deeply. He missed Scorpius so very much.

He would have just stood there for another hour but he did not have time. Scorpius will definitely follow him and he did not have more than two minutes.

"Accio _fool's paradise potion._ It was one of Scorpius's own invention and he had given this name to it. Scorpius had prepared a antidote too and Albus had decided not to take it. He knew he must, for himself, if not for Marcus because what he was about to do would give nightmares to him for many years to come. But Scorpius would most definitely follow him and he will bring the antidote with him. He did not stop to think that Scorpius did not know that he was taking the potion at all because he did not want to think at all. Marcus had crossed all limits and he would teach him a lesson even if it is the last thing he ever did.

His fury had not abated even a little. _Poor Lucien. She was so ambitious and such a gifted seer. I wonder how she will get over this trauma._ He still did not have any evidence against him and that was the only reason Marcus was not behind bars. Albus would gladly throw him in Azkaban but he knew that he couldn't. They had no evidence and Veritaserum couldn't be administered until the convict allowed and Marcus would most certainly not allow and then the red eyed bastard would run off and will most probably create horcruxes just like his dear old father had done. Albus would not waste seventeen years trying to chase a mad wizard with delusions to take over the whole world. He would terrify him so much that he would tremble at the thought of defying Albus and if this made Albus a monster, then so be it.

He would gladly become a monster to people like Marcus to save innocent people like Mandy and Lucien and the children he had got killed in Hangleton.

XXXX

The anger that had compelled Marcus to prepone his next attack had cooled down. Only then, he realized what he had done. He should have waited for Albus to cool down. He had struck when the iron was still hot. He had paced in impatience and had waited for Albus. He knew that Albus would not forgive him at all for what he had done today. He had laid the cards in front of him and now he couldn't take it back. He should never have owned his responsibility in front of Albus. That had been a very wrong step. For a moment, he considered leaving Albus but he knew that he couldn't leave him. He would just come back. He was bloody obsessed with Albus.

He licked his lips nervously when Albus had entered his room. He was too quiet and his eyes were burning with barely restrained rage.

"Follow me." These were the only words he said and somehow it made Marcus more terrified of him.

Very softly, he whispered "Albus, I am sor-"

Albus turned towards him so abruptly that he staggered back "You have a choice, Marcus. No imperious or lust potion on you. I will not stoop down to your levels. I am giving you a fair chance to just leave. The door is open. You have two minutes. Take your things and leave. It will make things easier for both of us. Should you decide to stay, you will bear your punishment. You defied me and that too after my repeated warnings to you." and having said this, he stormed inside the bathroom.

Marcus closed his eyes and breathed. He was in deep trouble. Albus would pay him back tenfold and Marcus still could not bring himself to just leave the other boy. Albus will do anything short of killing him. Why did it even matter? _One more mudblood down. Perhaps she will finally get something into her thick head and leave our world. Why did Albus have to make such a big deal out of it?_

It was not really a choice. So he waited for Albus to return. Albus returned and he looked so bloody handsome that Marcus swooned. When he saw a vial in Albus's hand, he froze.

"What is this?" He asked and his hands shook a little. He had fed lust potion to that mudblood and he did not want to suffer the same fate. "Is it lust potion?"

"It is not a lust potion. You won't recognise its name. It's a new invention and is not out in the market yet." Albus stated and walked towards him, his eyes burning.

"Whose invention?" Marcus asked and Albus shook his head "None of your business. Come along. We will apparate from the entrance."

"Where are we going?" Marcus swallowed and asked and Albus smirked wickedly "Keep patience darling. You will realize in about ten minutes. Come along. I don't want to waste any more time."

Exactly ten minutes later, Marcus found himself standing in front of La bareche with Albus. He shivered because he knew about this place. Just outside the door, Albus handed over the potion to Marcus "Drink it." Marcus shook his head and backed off bit. Albus backed off and smiled dangerously "By all means, leave if you would."

Marcus breathed deeply. He inhaled and then exhaled and looked at Albus "Please forgive me. Please. I am sorry."

"Sorry will not bring their peace of mind back. You have given them enough nightmares to last a lifetime. You must have some of yours. It's only fair." Albus sneered at him and then extended the potion again "Drink it."

Marcus closed his eyes and breathed deeply and then nodded before opening his eyes "Okay. I will drink it."

XXXX

_Bastard is acting as if he is sacrificing something._

Marcus took the potion and consumed it in one go. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes.

"Albus, I-" He whispered and smiled dreamily and then suddenly his eyes cleared "What did you give me?" Albus smirked when Marcus's expression became dreamy again.

He muttered "Come on. Let's go inside." Reluctantly, he held Marcus's hand and dragged him inside. Marcus was looking all around and smiling at himself. Albus wondered what he was seeing so he asked softly "What do you see, Marcus?"

"You. I see you." He replied and leaned against him and Albus would have pitied him, except that he was too much disgusted with Marcus and saw nothing but a monster when he looked at him. The fact that he loved Albus did not make any difference.

"Oh! Mr. Potter. Welcome to La Bareche. How can we serve you today?" The receptionist was a beautiful little thing. She smiled brightly and asked him.

"We want a room for around four hours." He replied curtly.

She gave him a bright smile and asked "How many?"

"Three." He replied, holding Marcus's hand in his tightly. Marcus was smiling and had rested his head on Albus's shoulder.

"Together?"

"Yes." Albus replied and took the keys from her. Abruptly, Marcus asked "Albus please don't."

They entered the room. It was quite beautiful and spacious. It had a big bed and a wardrobe. The bathroom was also beautiful with a bathtub and all the necessary accessories. He had gone to freshen up after leaving Marcus in the room.

He came out when he heard a knock.

"Yes. Come in. The door is open." He called and settled on the bed. Marcus was sitting at the edge of the bed, looking dreamily all around the room. The potion was designed to created illusions in the drinker's mind. He will be happy with whatever is happening around him or to him. The drinker would be conscious at intervals, though and that was what would make it worse for Marcus. The fact that he would be conscious and would want what is happening and not want at the same time and that he would not be able to stop anything will make it worse.

XXXX

Scorpius rushed towards the infirmary where Harry and father were with Lucien. He opened the door and found them sitting on the chairs near Lucien's bed.

Her eyes were open and she seemed to looking at nothing in particular.

"Hello." Everyone was startled when she looked at him and spoke her first word.

"Er, hello. How are you, Por- Lucien." He asked and she gave him a watery smile "As well as I can be."

Scorpius nodded and walked towards his father and sat on the edge of Lucien's bed. He looked at Harry worriedly "He has gone somewhere with Riddle. I am really very worried for him. He will cross his own limits."

XXXX

Three men entered and looked at Marcus. They were handsome and he asked "You are muggleborns and halfbloods, yes?". They nodded and smiled and he simply shrugged.

"Close the door and then you can start." Albus replied carelessly, his eyes boring in Marcus's cheeks who was looking at the ceiling with a stupid smile on his face. Suddenly, Marcus's eyes cleared and he asked, looking straight at him "What are they doing here, Albus?"

"They are here to play. Why? Do you wish for them to leave?" Albus asked and Marcus looked conflicted for a minute. He finally sighed and shook his head sadly "No. I know you would find some other way to punish me." And suddenly he smiled "I want them. They are handsome." And then suddenly he grimaced "Bloody mudbloods and halfbloods."

Albus saw anger flash on his visitor's face and thought _You are laying your own bed, Marcus. You can't blame me for your unpleasant personality._

XXXX

"You are Albus Potter's mate?" Lucien asked him softly, his eyes boring in his "Albus Potter who saved me."

Scorpius nodded and she continued "You have to save him now. He has done his part. He must come back. He does not deserve to die or live in insanity. You have two options and I can see two paths laid in front of you."

"What do you mean? Is he in danger?" Harry asked and Scorpius frowned.

"He is yes but it's not like you are thinking." She replied. Her eyes were sad.

"What kind of danger?" Father asked, leaning towards her bed.

"Do you have a potion that gives illusions to the drinker?" She looked at Scorpius and Scorpius's jaw dropped in shock.

"Yes." He nodded and looked at father "I wanted to tell you but I did not get any chance. I am sorry."

"You need to take the antidote and go to La Bareche. Room no. 201" She said and her eyes looked dreamy and lost.

Scorpius was about to speak something but Harry beat him "Go, Scorpius. We will talk later."

"What if he does not listen to me?" He asked, unsure.

While Harry and father sighed in exasperation, Lucien merely smiled serenely "He will listen just to you."

XXXX

Scorpius hurried towards his room, his hands buried in his robe pockets and he rummaged through his personal brews. The Fools paradise potion was missing. _Bloody hell._ He took the antidote and hurried towards the great hall and then exited it quickly, ignoring anyone and everyone on the way. He apparated straightaway to La Bareche and hurried inside, wishing to Merlin that he was not late.

XXXX

"Start." Albus muttered half heartedly and sat on the bed, his back against the head board. Their names were Curt, Wills and Phil. Curt unbuttoned Marcus's shirt and Marcus caressed his cheek, murmuring "Albus." and Albus felt rotten from inside.

Suddenly, Marcus whispered and tried to push them "Ple- no." Albus's heart beats sped up. This WAS rape. What was he doing? This was clearly wrong. The moment of lucidity passed and Marcus smiled eagerly when Phil tried to take his trousers off. 

"No." He murmured and tried to push Wills's hands from his trousers. A moment later, he slumped in Phil's arms, a dreamy smile on his face. Albus was huddled in a corner hugging his knees with tears streaming from his eyes. He blinked hard when he saw Marcus struggle a little and when he saw a sole tear streaming down his eyes, he completely lost his nerve.

"STOP IT." He spoke and he wanted to shout loudly but what came out was a mere whisper. They turned towards him and ignored him completely and he shouted again "STOP It. Bloody-" Fortunately, the door burst open and a strong stupefy rendered them unconscious.

Albus did not move, though. He shivered and hugged his knees and Marcus tried to come close to him. He shook his head and moved away.

_I am bloody done with everything. Don't care anymore. Scorpius where are you?_

XXXX

 _Bloody hell._ This was all Scorpius could think of when he burst the door open. Three heavy built men in their trousers were surrounding Riddle who had just his trousers on him and Albus had just shouted at them to stop. They did not stop and Scorpius narrowed his eyes.

"STUPEFY" He shouted and stupefied them, rendering them unconscious. Albus was huddled in the furthermost corner of the bed, hugging his knees and was pulling away from Riddle who did not seem to get the hint.

 _Fool's paradise potion._ Of course he is not taking the hint.

He spelled the door closed and walked towards Riddle.

He looked at him in confusion then surprise followed by a smile and surprise again. Scorpius smiled innocently and took out a vial.

"Whasit." Riddle slurred and Scorpius spoke softly "I have a potion which will banish the potion from your system." and then he asked after three seconds "Do you want it?". He took care to indicate towards the vial in his hand while asking the last part.

"Yesh" Riddle slurred and Scorpius extended the vial towards him "Take it." Riddle was stumbling on his feet and Scorpius was feeling very uncomfortable and impatient, not to mention very worried for a huddled and trembling Albus Potter. He was very relieved that Albus had found some mercy in himself even for a monster like Riddle.

Scorpius pressed the vial to Riddle's mouth and he drank it and Scorpius smirked and took out another vial from his robe pocket.

"Come on drink this antidote, Riddle." He whispered, pressing the second vial to his mouth and the red eyes became wide and confused "I jusht drank it."

"You are delusional, Riddle. Now, be quick and drink it." Riddle sighed in defeat and drank the second potion too. As soon as Scorpius saw Riddle's eyes clear, he cast a mild sleeping curse on him and he dropped unconscious on the floor.

_Thank god. Finally, it's over._

XXXX

 


	22. United

**_ Chapter-21 _ **

**_ United _ **

Ten minutes later Scorpius had already kicked the three hulks out, sent a patronus to Harry and father and bound Riddle on the chair, not that it mattered. Riddle was already unconscious. He was sitting in front of Albus right now. Albus was still huddled. He was still hugging his knees and he was still crying with his face resting on his own knees.

“Albus, please. It’s over now. Listen to me.” He spoke softly and Albus looked at him. Scorpius sighed in relief, wondering if Albus would talk to him now. He merely took his wand out of his robes and handed it over to him “I have no control over my own anger. I might crucio someone.” And then went back to hugging his knees and sobbing silently.

Finally, Scorpius couldn’t take it anymore and crawled towards the other boy on his knees. Albus backed off and looked at him and shook his head. Scorpius shook his head at him and said sternly “Albus, please come here. Everything is fine and you were strong enough to want to stop those bloody hulks. I am proud of you. Had I not arrived, you would have stopped them. I am sure of that. Now, come here.”

“No. I am bad. I crucioed you. I am bad. No.” He spoke and Scorpius crawled closer to him and Albus might have backed off but there was no space and so he scowled a little at Scorpius and Scorpius had to hide his laugh.

He placed one hand under his knees and the other behind his back and picked him up with great difficulty.

“Merlin, you are heavy Albus.” He muttered and was very glad to notice Albus glare at him indignantly “I am not heavy.”

“Well, you are.” Scorpius muttered and placed Albus on his lap.

“I will get off then” Albus muttered back and tried to get off and Scorpius stopped him with both hands “Stop. Just stop running away from me. It is not doing you any good at all nor is it doing any good to me.”

“I crucioed you. That is completely unforgivable. Why did you take polyjuice to replace them?” Albus asked, his head on Scorpius’s chest now. They were half lying down on the bed.

“I couldn’t leave any evidence against you, Albus. That might have been used against you in the wizengamot.” Scorpius kissed Albus’s head softly and Albus became silent.

“While we are at it, care to explain your weird behaviour during the last month.” Scoprius asked and tightened his arms around Albus.

XXXX

Albus sighed and burrowed in Scorpius’s chest “I had been curious about dark curses. That does not mean that I had wanted to learn them. When I realized that you had been sleeping around behind my back, I was angry and decided to leave you and date others.”

“Yes. I remember that. I am sorry for sleeping around. I realize what you went through. I really am sorry.” Scorpius stroked his hair and he sighed “It’s okay. So Marcus came at the right moment. He was handsome and I decided to give a chance to him. He told me that he knows a lot of dark curses and I said that I want to learn them and he decided to give me a demonstration. I agreed and I shouldn’t have. I was angry at you and so I rebelled. When we read those news articles, I had a hunch that Marcus was responsible for all them but I decided to live in denial. Then it got out of hand. My anger and cruciatus curse and Marcus’s attacks and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I am so so sorry Scorpius.”

Scoprius tightened his arms when Albus pulled back and Albus whispered “Wait, I have to say something. I am going to request resorting for myself for the remaining two years of Hogwarts. I will request to be sorted with you. You can keep an eye on me and help me manage my anger. You can keep my wand when you think that I am crossing my limits. I trust you. I won’t give my wand to anyone else. Please. I won’t be able to live with myself otherwise.”

Their eyes met and Scorpius smiled and the smile was so soft that Albus just got lost in it. Scorpius’s eyes were so very warm that Albus could not avert his gaze. Albus could only stare as Scorpius knelt forward and captured his lips softly. It was like coming back home and Albus had never felt so warm during the past month.

When had Scorpius become the source of sanity and peace for him? As long as Scorpius was around, Albus could maintain his peace of mind. When had Scorpius become his world?

Their kiss never broke and tears slid down Albus’s eyes. He wrapped his arms around Scorpius’s neck and straddled his waist. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he buried his face in Scorpius’s neck and started crying. He was crying like a girl and Scorpius just stroked his spine and mumbled words or reassurance to him softly in his ears.

Having worn himself out, Albus pulled out of his neck, his cheeks tinged pink and his eyes red rimmed “I am sorry to hurt you so much and I love you. Please don’t leave me again.”

“I love you too. I had never left you. I was always there.” Scorpius mumbled and captured his lips again.

They were so lost in themselves that they did not notice Riddle wake up. Nor did they notice him unbind himself slowly.

XXXX

Marcus glared at them hatefully but they were so lost in each other that they did not notice him point his finger towards them and whisper “CRUCIOOOOO”

XXXX

Scorpius screamed in pain and Albus stared helplessly at him. He picked his wand and got out of Scorpius’s lap and screamed at Marcus “STUPEFY” while simultaneously jumping off the bed.

“PROTEGO” Marcus shouted and Albus pointed his wand again “EXPELLIARMUS”

“PROTEGO”

“AQUA ERUCTO” Albus shouted and this time Marcus was taken by surprise.

“INCARCEROUS” Scorpius shouted and Marcus found himself bound in ropes.

“Bastard. Hate you so much.”

“Expelliarmus” Scorpius muttered and his wand flew towards Scorpius who hid it in his own robe pockets. “The hatred is mutual. We hate you as well.”

Fortunately, at this moment, Harry and father burst open the door. They must have received the patronus he had sent and Scorpius returned to his Albus holding.

XXXX

 


	23. Mercy

**_ Chapter-22 _ **

**_ Mercy _ **

A day had passed since they had imprisoned Marcus and placed him in Azkaban. Harry would like to think that it did not affect him. He would like to think that he was happy to see Voldemort’s son in Azkaban and he would like to think that it did not affect Draco at all as well but none of this was true. Ever since, Harry had taken Marcus from that hotel room in La Bareche, his young face had haunted him. Draco had not yet spoken to him even once and it had been three days since then. Scorpius and Albus were happy in their little world and Harry was happy for them.

But it did not mean that he had forgotten Marcus or the fact that he was his son’s age and was not completely like Tom Riddle did not leave his mind. He had been in love with Albus, and all things aside love was one thing Tom had been incapable of.

Harry was not like Albus Dumbledore. Professor Dumbledore had known the kind of treatment Tom received in the orphanage and had ignored him just like he had ignored Harry and had Harry been aware of Marcus’s existence, he would have raised the boy as his own, not matter who stopped him. Something in his heart clenched when he relived the insanity that had been on Marcus’s face when he had entered that room and had found Marcus lying bound on the floor.

Harry wanted to know what kind of life Marcus had lived. Where had the boy been before coming to Britain? If he had not been in Britain and prejudice of other people had not even touched him, why would he resort to following in his father’s footsteps?

Draco’s silence was a thing that Harry could simply not tolerate. Draco would sleep with him in his quarters and would sit with him the great hall and except for that he won’t even look at him. Finally, after three days, he decided to break his blonde’s silence and waited for Draco to come to bed at night.

He feigned that he was sleeping and as usual Draco changed in his sleeping clothes and lay down with him. As usual, he picked the other half of the blanket and covered himself with it and as usual he rested his face on Harry’s chest and wrapped his arms on Harry’s waist.

“Please talk to me. I can’t tolerate your silence anymore.” Harry spoke and Draco did not react in any way at all, no flinch or huff, nothing at all.

“I will not let you walk out of this room in the morning if you don’t speak to me.” He tried and Draco spoke very softly at that “You are the headmaster. You can’t just stay locked up with me forever.”

“I can do whatever I want.” Harry shrugged carelessly “and I will. You are my priority and I will do whatever is required to break your silence.”

After remaining silent for five more minutes, Draco turned his face on Harry’s chest to look at him and his eyes were soft and worried. “You will think that I have gone mad but I am concerned for Riddle.”

“So am I.” Harry whispered and placed one of his hands behind his head and the other on Draco’s hair. They stared at each other in silence which was broken by Harry this time “I can’t quite digest all this. Why would he do all this? If he is capable of loving Albus, he is not completely heartless and it means that he deserves to live. He is only a child, Albus’s age. How can I just throw away his life like this? He is an orphan but you are his cousin Draco. Why did he not approach you, at least, when he was old enough to owl you?”

“There are two days until his trial and I just- I don’t think we should let them punish him with life sentence or death sentence, not until we have investigated about him and spoken to him.” Draco spoke and Harry frowned “He lived in France, yes?”

“Yes.” Draco replied, frowning.

“We could ask Beauxbattens authorities. They must have some records of his past.” Harry spoke and Draco sighed “Okay, we will go after lunch tomorrow, then.” They fell asleep after that.

Perhaps it was just his sub conscious or intuition or luck that a much unexpected visitor visited Draco’s and his dream that night.

XXXX

_“Hello, Mr. Potter.” Harry looked around to follow the voice and found himself staring at a truly confused Draco Malfoy._

_Draco seemed confused when he asked “Where do you think we are and how did we arrive here? Last, I remember, we were sleeping.”_

_“Hello to you too, Mr. Mafloy.” The voice called them again and Harry walked towards Draco with cautious steps. They looked around them again. It seemed that they were in chamber of secrets. It was completely empty._

_Their jaw dropped in shock when a figure of young Tom Riddle materialised in front of them. He looked around twenty five, Harry thought._

_“Who are you?” Harry asked after taking Draco’s hand in his._

_“I am Tom Marvolo Riddle, sans insanity of course. Death has improved me a lot, you know.” He spoke and again their jaws dropped in utter shock._

_“But how is this possible?” Draco asked his eyes wide and stunned._

_“Anything is possible in this world, Mr. Malfoy.” Tom smiled and it was a sight to watch. They had never seen Tom Riddle ever smile “I decided to pay you the long overdue visit finally.”_

_They stared at him, speechless and he continued after coming closer to them “I am sorry to both of you. I am sorry to everyone actually but mostly to both of you. You lost your childhoods because of me. My son is not really evil. He is just misguided and has been lied to. He is paying for my sins in a way. They extracted their revenge on me through him. Ironic, isn’t it? I destroyed so many childhoods and here I am standing after my death, begging you to save my son.”_

_Before Harry or Draco could open their mouths, he continued “Before you refuse, I would like to request you one last time. Please help him. He is not an evil person. No one is inherently evil. He was misguided by someone. I left some letters for him in Gringotts before dying. I wrote them in my few saner moments. Bella was far gone by then. I left them with Griphook. I had written letters in my blood. They could not be modified or destroyed. So he wrote one and sent it to Marcus saying that I had left it for him. The letter misguided him about my wishes and intentions. I had left him in care of house elves and they hated me just like any other being in Britain or France so they did not reveal the truth to him. He is under an illusion and has been following the false words that letter contained. I know the things that he has ordered my death eaters to do are irredeemable.”_

_Harry stared in shock and so did Draco as Tom Riddle extended his hand and fell on his knees, his eyes filled with guilt and pain “Please find some mercy inside your hearts. At least give him a chance. Please show those letters to him. Please talk to him. No one has really ever spoken to him properly or guided him about these things. He does not understand the meaning of moral or immoral. There was no one to teach him. The first person he fell in love was your son, Albus Severus Potter. Please have mercy.”_

_It was so bloody ironic. Once upon a time, his mother had been in the same position. He had been a baby and she had stood in front of him and had begged for mercy. Today her murderer was standing in front of him and was begging for mercy for his child._

_“You did not have mercy on Lily Potter. Why should we have mercy on you? She begged you just like you are begging us and you killed her in cold blood.” Draco spoke coldly and had Harry not know Draco, he would have believed his false facade but he knew Draco and he knew that Draco was not a cold or heartless person but asking Tom these questions was necessary. Harry’s dreams had led him falsely in past._

_“I know. I killed her and I am sorry. I know that my apologies won’t bring your childhood back but please have some mercy. Please. Give him just a small chance. Tell him the truth. Please just show those letters to him.” He literally begged and his eyes were shining, though tears did not fall from them._

_“But-“ Draco started and Harry interrupted him “No. Draco. Enough.”_

_“He killed your parents in cold blood and he would have killed you too.” Draco glared at him and Harry glared right back “Do you really want me to condemn Marcus to death?”_

_The glaring continued for one more minute and then Draco turned to glare at Riddle instead, who was still on his knees in front of him._

_“You are lucky that we are not like you. You are bloody lucky that Harry is my partner. Anyone else would have condemned your son to death or lifetime imprisonment and I would have supported him. Harry has turned me soft. I find myself unable to just abandon your son mercilessly. Why did you not leave him in my hands? I would have raised him or Harry would have raised him as his own.” Draco crossed his arms and towered over Riddle who blinked rapidly “I thought you would kill him. My mind was not sane or rational and it did not believe on anyone. I did not want him to die. I did not want my sins to shadow his life.” Riddle was now looking at floor morosely and Harry’s heart clenched when an image of his mother came to his mind. His mother had begged and Riddle had just killed her. His mother won’t want him to do this._

_“Get up, please. I will visit Gringotts and take the letter to him and then if he feels guilty and if he wants to pay for his sins the way I want him too, I- we will make the Wizengamot listen to us. There is no need to beg and plead for my mercy. Just get up. I do not like all this.” He spoke and Riddle stood up looking at him with something akin to wonder._

_“Thank you. Thank you so much for having mercy on my son. Thank you-“ Riddle started and Harry averted his eyes, feeling uneasy._

_“We must take your leave now.” Harry spoke and held Draco’s hand again._

_He had turned away from Riddle when he heard his voice again. It was a little distant this time “Will you ever forgive me?”_

_Harry shook his head in exasperation and it was Draco who chuckled and answered for him, looking back at Riddle for one last time “He forgave you long back, the day he freed you.”_

_“Thank you. Thank you so much.” The voice whispered distantly and then everything was black._

XXXX

Harry’s eyes shot open and he stared in Draco’s stunned eyes.

“Was that a dream or were you there with me, talking to Tom Marvolo Riddle?” Harry asked in a stunned voice and Draco swallowed and blinked rapidly “It was real. I was there. It’s morning, you know. The trial is day after tomorrow. We need to visit Gringotts and then we need to visit Marcus.”

Harry sighed and hugged Draco close and Draco accepted his embrace willingly. He crawled up and buried his face in Harry’s warm neck.

“I couldn’t do what Riddle did. I couldn’t. It would have been murder. I am not Albus Dumbledore and I couldn’t – couldn’t just-“ Harry babbled and Draco covered his mouth with his hand “I understand and I agree. You don’t have to explain. Marcus is, after all, just a child, our children’s age. We will try to bring him back. We will try to fulfil the promise we made to his father and we will keep him with us. He is my cousin, after all. Bellatrix was my aunt and he is family. Okay? And one more thing.” Draco smiled at the end.

Harry looked at him and returned his smile “Yes?”

“I love you.” Draco whispered and Harry’s eyes lit when Draco captured his mouth in a sweet kiss. His tongue twined with Harry’s and then mapped Harry’s mouth. A few minutes later, Harry pulled back to breathe and whispered “I love you too.” before pulling Draco back in his warm embrace.

XXXX

 


	24. Redeemable

**_ Chapter-23 _ **

**_ Redeemable _ **

Marcus hugged his knees in a corner of his cell. It was dark and he was bloody terrified of this darkness and shrieking voices of prisoners. Why had father left such a legacy to him? Why had he asked him to carry on his aim? He did not want to do it. He did not see any point of all this muggle prejudice bullshit. Why did he want him to terrorise Britain? Now he had been imprisoned and he deserved it but it was terrifying and he did not want to spend his life here.

Why had father died and left him alone? Why had he not taken him with him? He did not want to remain here even if he did deserve it. He had not asked the bastards to kill those children in that orphanage. They were supposed to terrorize them and come back. He had not wanted them to rape and kill those girls in Great Hangleton. They were supposed to terrorize them too. They had to make an appearance, not rape and kill them.

_Bloody sadistic bastards._

He did not even have anything against muggles. It had gotten out of his hand. He had just wanted to fulfil his father’s wishes. At Hogwarts, he had been angry at Albus. His anger had got away from him. He had let his anger rule him and he was bloody sorry now.

But there was no way out. He hugged his knees closer and wondered how many days had passed since he had been brought here. There was no count of days or nights here. The food was not even worth eating. He never ate it. As tears rolled down his cheeks, he started rocking back and forth.

_I am sorry. Sorry._

He had just had a letter and he had followed that letter. What would a person do when he had nothing and no one except a bloody letter? The letter said that his father wanted him to destroy Harry Potter and his complete family and that he wanted him to reign over Britain. He had returned to Britain and had bloody fallen for Harry Potter’s son and he loved him. Why would Albus love a murderer like him? He had lured Albus towards dark arts. Of course, it had not helped a bit. Albus had wanted to destroy him. Anyone would after the type of things he had done.

It had been a long time since he was thrown in this cold, dark prison and with so much time at hand, he had started reflecting on what he had done. He could accept that he had committed unforgivable sins. Had he had a better control on them, the kids would have been alive and he would have asked for their forgiveness.

_Why would you make your own child a murderer, father? How could you?_

Children were dead and there will be no forgiveness for him. There will be either life imprisonment or death sentence. His life was over but he wanted to live and he wanted to ask for their forgiveness. And he wanted to fall in love again. Perhaps someone else like Albus would have come in his life but all had gone to hell.

He pulled his hair and sobbed but there was no one to listen. When he heard a soft voice belonging to Harry Potter, he thought that he was dreaming. He looked up at his visitors.

“You have visitors, Riddle.” The guard said and Harry dismissed him quietly “Leave. We will call you when we need you.”

“But, Mr. Potter-“

“Open the door and leave.” Draco Malfoy muttered sharply and the guard scurried off after unlocking the door.

His visitors stood quietly, outside the door, looking at him and he stared at them in wonder. He had not expected anyone to visit him. He had no one after all.

They walked forwards and looked at him through the bars. He crawled forward on his knees and looked at them, his eyes wide and bloodshot.

“Have you found any remorse yet?” It was Harry who had spoken to him and he had spoken the words very softly. He had read in Skeeter’s book. These had been the last words he had said to his father too. He looked at their faces, Harry’s soft and expressive and Draco’s blank and expressionless and reflected on their question.

_Remorse_

Had he found any remorse yet? Yes, he had because he did regret having hurt those innocent children. What did it matter if they were muggle or magical or veela or werewolf. Albus was a veela, a half-blood and he had fallen in love with him.

Did he want to go and ask for their forgiveness? Yes, he did but how he would ever face his father after death. Father would be so disappointed in him. Should he not fulfil his father’s last wishes? He did not want to fulfil them. He did not want to destroy the two people who were standing in front of him, talking to him as if he were a sane human being because anyone would kill him after realizing what he had done.

Why had father asked him to do those terrible things?

“Yes. I do. I am sorry for what I did.” He whispered and licked his dry lips. He had not had a sip of water since he had arrived.

He closed his eyes and swallowed bile. When he felt a bottle being pressed to his lips, he jerked and realized that they were inside the cell now. Draco was pressing a bottle to his lips and now his eyes were soft. They were not expressionless.

“Drink. It’s water. You are thirsty.” He swallowed the water and shivered from the cold air that blew constantly in the prison.

He started in surprise again and opened his eyes when a blanket was covered on his shoulders. This time it was Harry.

He had come to kill them. He wanted to scream and rant at them that they should not be so forgiving; that he had wanted to kill them and destroy their family and it had been his love for Albus which had stopped him.

He was still sitting on his knees and had the bottle in his hand. When he opened his mouth to speak, Draco spoke softly “Drink water and then speak to us. We are not going anywhere. We have some news for you.”

“There are certain decisions you need to make.” Harry continued and he looked at them in surprise, but he drank water, nevertheless. When he had finished the water, two bars of chocolate and two sandwiches were placed in his hand and he stared at them in shock.

His stomach grumbled and Harry murmured “Eat this. We are sure you have not eaten anything at all.”

Marcus wanted to scream at them. Why would they be so considerate? Why would they bring food and water for him? He had brought nothing but misery and trouble for them. He opened his mouth to speak, but they knelt in front of him. While Harry sat on crossed legs, Draco knelt on his knees and it was Draco who held his shoulders and Harry who patted his knees and murmured “Eat first. We have time to talk. Don’t worry.”

He looked at the food placed on his hands and started eating it. He was so hungry that he ate it quickly and soon his sandwiches were gone. One more sandwich was placed on his hand and he closed his eyes in shame.

_Shame._

That was a new emotion for him.

_Guilt. Shame. Remorse. Love_

He had never felt these things ever. He ate the sandwich and when he coughed, they provide him more water and he couldn’t help it. Tears slid down his eyes and trickled down his cheeks as he looked at them. Surely, he didn’t deserve their consideration. Why would they help him? Why would they come?

“Why did you create so much havoc? What had they ever done?” Draco asked him politely and he decided to tell him the truth. Draco’s hand was still resting on his shoulder and Harry’s was on his knee and it was oddly comforting.

“I was ten year old when I received a letter from gringotts. It was from my father. He wanted me to follow in his footsteps and he also wanted me to destroy you. He said that you were the reason of his death and I had nothing but that letter from father. I decided to fulfil his wishes. I did not know I would fall in love with Albus. I did not want them to kill them. They were ordered to terrorise not rape and kill. At Hogwarts, it got out of hand and one incident led to another. I was angry. I am sorry.” He whispered his eyes on his hands.

Harry cleared his throat and he looked at him “I have news for you. It might be a little difficult to digest but remember that we are there. The letter that you received was false. The real letters were written in your father’s blood. I have brought them with me. Do you want to read them?”

What else could Marcus do but stare at them in shock? Six years, he had read that letter and learnt every word in it and it had been false. He felt anger flare inside in him and it must have shown in his eyes because Draco squeezed his shoulders painfully “Control your anger. You must never act when you are angry. It causes nothing but trouble.”

“Breathe in and out” Harry ordered soothingly and Marcus did. He breathed in and out.

“Again. Do it again.” And he did it again and again. His anger cooled after the third time and he sighed in relief.

“Will you read them for me please?” he asked softly and a little shyly.

This time, Harry and Draco stared at him. They must not have expected him to let them read the letters.

“They might be personal. We won’t want to intrude.” Draco spoke and Marcus was really surprised. Why would they trust him so much?

“It’s okay. Please read them.”

“Draco, you read them. Marcus, you must sit comfortably. It might be overwhelming for you.” Harry said softly and Marcus settled down on crossed legs. Draco mirrored the position and took out one of the two parchments that Harry had.

_Dear son,_

_I don’t know what love is. Dumbledore says I can’t love. Then why do I feel such an overwhelming urge to protect you? You were born yesterday and I lied to Bella about you. She is far gone away. I am afraid she will ruin you or get you killed. I am going to send you to France before my rare moments of sanity cease and I hurt you._

_I am writing this letter in the hope that you will find this someday and forgive your father. I am sorry for leaving a legacy of shame to you. I know you have no one to love. I wish you would try to contact Draco Malfoy. He is a good boy and will raise you. He is your cousin. I wish you would not believe what I did. Muggles are quite harmless. They are more advanced than us in some ways._

_I don’t know what love is but I pick you up in my arms and I am hideous but still you touch my hideous monstrous face with your little hand and something clenches inside me. I will not be able to see you grow up._

_I was quite handsome in my youth. I hope you grow up into a handsome young man and take my positive traits and none of my negative ones. You scrunch your nose and I know that you want me to kiss you but I don’t have any lips at all. Why would you want a hideous person to kiss you?_

_Maybe it does not matter to children. They can love their parents, howsoever evil or bad they might be. You are so small and fragile. I am afraid of you and I am afraid for you._

_No matter what Dumbledore says, I know I love you, because even as I know that I must send you to France in care of elves, I want to cry but I can’t. I do not know how to cry. They say I don’t have any remorse. I split my soul and I am a monster. I deserve to die but still I wish I could watch you grow. I wish I could watch you take your first few steps and hold you when you fall down. I don’t deserve all this though. I have snatched children away from so many people now._

_I have decided to name you Marcus. Marcus Tom Marvolo Riddle._

_Son, I wish you would lead a happy life. I wish you fall in love and have a family and just stay away from destruction and violence. I wish you would do whatever you want. There are so many things I wish to say and there is not enough time._

_You are so little and I want to see you grow up so desperately. I can’t. My time is almost over and I must leave._

_Son, don’t follow in my footsteps. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise._

_I love you. Even in my insanity, I love you. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise._

_Father_

Marcus had not even realized that he had started crying. Tears were flowing from his eyes and he was sobbing uncontrollably. His father had not wanted him to do all this. Father had loved him. Father had wanted him to live and love. He tried to speak but no sound escaped his mouth. He desperately needed something he couldn’t define.

When Harry hugged him, he realized that he had needed a hug. Harry’s hug comforted him and he breathed deeply on his chest and looked at Draco. He was looking at him worriedly.

“You could read the next one yourself. We don’t want to intrude.” He muttered and Marcus shook his head “Please read.”

Draco nodded and started reading.

_Dear son,_

_You have pink cheeks and a little nose and red lips and red eyes. You are so small and you stick your small thumb in your mouth and I look at your little face in wonder. You are beautiful. Your other hand holds mine and I wonder why you don’t ever find me repulsive._

_It was quiet silly of me but I tried to persuade you to call me Dad today. You opened your mouth and tried to copy my mouth. Had I had lips, you might have succeeded. You are so intelligent and you have a beautiful smile. You are so innocent._

_I must send you to the elves today. Tomorrow, I must move to Hogwarts and finish everything. Why can’t I bring myself to do it?_

_I regret so much. I regret having become a monster. I had never known the joy that a child brings. I hope you experience that joy. I have no time left and I want to spend my remaining time with you but I must go. Death eaters have become restless. I am afraid they might hurt you._

_I want you to be happy. I just want you to be happy in life. Live and love and kiss and don’t waste your time in prejudices. Life is too short for all this nonsense._

_Please don’t follow in my footsteps. Don’t finish what I started. I am a monster and I wish you would remain a human. I must go but you have to live your life to the fullest._

_Sometimes, when your mother is sleeping, she mumbles about you. She calls you baby and I know because I never fall asleep._

_She loves you, I think. She is far too gone to realize anything now._

_I am sorry._

_I am so so so sorry for leaving you alone. You deserved a family and parents and I am snatching the chance to have parents from you._

_I am sorry._

_Please try to forgive me._

_Be happy. That’s all I want for you. I have no expectations except that I wish you won’t use curses like unforgivable curses._

_I love you. I will always love you._

_Lastly, please approach Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. They will help you and raise you. They won’t punish you for my sins._

_I must go now and my insides and aching so much, Marcus. I don’t want to leave but I must._

_Goodbye,_

_With love,_

_Your father._

_Tom Marvolo Riddle._

_TBC_

 


	25. The End

**_ Chapter-24 _ **

**_ The end _ **

Harry licked his lips and looked into Draco eyes as he finished the letter. Marcus had gone very still in his arms. He was not even sobbing anymore. He could understand him now and so could Draco considering the way he was looking at Marcus. Draco had practically lived to make his father happy. Each and every step of his had been dependent on whether his father would be happy or not.

Harry looked at Draco in concern and he mouthed “Talk to him.” and Harry knew that they shouldn’t let Marcus just get lost in himself. He nodded and spoke “It might seem like an end to you but it is not. It might be a beginning. A new beginning of a happy life.”

“Marcus, it’s okay. Your father would understand. If you regret what you did and are ready to pay for your sins, it will be more than sufficient.” Draco spoke and Harry was truly surprised. Draco rarely ever expressed his emotions so openly.

Marcus spoke in a monotone and his voice shook “He would be disappointed in me. I should have known better. I did not even like the things they did. It was just mechanical. I did not even read the newspaper to avoid reading about it. I destroyed their lives. There is now way to seek their forgiveness. I don’t have any choice but to-”. He cut off and chuckled bitterly. A few tears escaped his eyes and Harry sighed.

“You always have a choice and we are giving you a choice.” It was Draco who interrupted him and Harry looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Harry, please tell him.”

“Okay. Marcus, you have a choice. I know it’s overwhelming but we don’t have much time. Your trial is scheduled tomorrow. They would give you a life sentence. We can get you out but you will have to follow our terms.” Harry spoke and Marcus turned towards him after pulling a little.

“What do you mean by terms?” He asked and Draco continued “We will punish you in our own way. It will be hard and humiliating since you have lived alone and you are not used to answering anyone. We will not reveal the punishment yet. It could be anything. Rest assured, it won’t be anything, er-“ Draco cut off, apparently at a loss of words and Marcus’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“It won’t be anything inappropriate.” Harry completed for him and looked at Marcus who was sitting across from him now and looking at them with an unreadable expression.

“I – I know. Your kids won’t want me to live with you. None of them will. I don’t want you to fight with your children.” He whispered and looked at his hands.

Harry took both of his hands in his and looked into his red eyes “They will have to understand. They can’t contest our decisions. It’s up to you. In fact, I think, Lily will be able to understand you better than anyone.”

Draco crossed his arms and looked sternly at Marcus “Are you ready to face your punishment? Are you willing to risk your independence? Even if it won’t be as bad as Azkaban, it won’t be a piece of cake. I, for one have inherited my father’s strictness.”

“Anything. I will do anything. I would also like to know why the letters were forged.” Marcus looked at them with red eyes and there was a flash of anger in them. Harry’s hands tightened on Marcus’s “If you don’t control your anger, it will start controlling you. It will destroy you and let me tell you a secret. Your father visited Draco and me in our dreams day before yesterday.”

“Harry, do you think it’s necessary? It is unnecessarily cruel.” Draco stopped him and he looked at him “He must know. You know he must.”

“Please tell me. Please.” He pleaded and Harry sighed deeply “He visited our dream and begged me to give you a chance. He told me about his real letter. We visited Gringotts and realized that your father had left the letters with the goblins. I won’t reveal the author of this deception yet; rest assured the goblins were not responsible. You need to control your anger. Children act upon their anger mindlessly. Grownups control it. You are not a child now.”

Marcus looked at him and then at Draco with stunned eyes. He nodded and started speaking softly “I will not disappoint you. I will learn to control my anger.” He stopped and took a deep breath before continuing “Are you- you are serious aren’t you? You are not kidding. How will you convince the Wizengamot?”

“Leave that to us. What do you chose?” Draco spoke and softly and Marcus looked forward, at nothing in particular.

“I chose you. I will do whatever you say.” He replied and Harry smiled at Draco. Draco’s red lips upturned in a smile and he spoke “We will meet you at the trial then. Hold yourselves till then. Everything will be fine, okay?” Harry spoke and Draco held Marcus in a one sided hug.

“Try meditating. It helps.” Harry spoke for one last time and started moving towards the door with Draco.

Marcus’s dirt stained cheeks were tinged pink as he whispered “Thank you.” They were at the door when they heard his soft voice “Will they ever heal?”

Harry knew what Marcus meant so he looked back at him “With time, they will.”

“Will you help them?” It was Draco who had asked this and Marcus’s eyes shot up towards him with a hopeful expression “Yes. Yes I would like to but can I?”

“Yes you can.” Harry replied and they left the boy sitting on dirty floor looking at the locked door with hopeful eyes.

XXXX

To say that Harry was shocked when he realized that Albus Dumbledore was the one who had ordered the goblins to write and deliver wrong letters to Marcus would be an understatement. Draco had not been surprised, though. It was like he had expected Albus to be somehow involved in the deception.

Neither age nor experience had taught the old man. That he would do the same thing for the third time frustrated him to no end. Of course, Goblins had told everything to Draco and him. Why would they hide something like this from him? They had done exchanged the letters willingly, the reason being that they hated Voldemort and were not at all guilty to ruin his son’s life.

Thank Merlin, Marcus had been behind stronger wards, otherwise on Merlin knew what Albus would have done to the child because he had confessed that he would just like to kill him and get done with it.

He had sent an owl to Albus, asking him to attend the trial, no matter what.

“Why are you nervous, Harry? It’s not like they can refuse us. They do owe us their lives. They cannot refuse, you understand.” Draco tried to reassure him and Harry sighed in frustration “Albus might prove to be a big hurdle. He was the one who engineered all this. Marcus could have lived with us and everything would have been fine. But he had to bloody interfere, just like always and ruin another child’s life. Marcus might need therapy. Actually, I think that he does need therapy. We will have a hard time trying to control him. He has lived alone and he is not used to interference and he is Tom Riddle and Bellatrix’s child. He is bound to be bloody difficult and all because of Albus. Why does he have to intervene, Draco?”

Draco must have read his eyes because he held Harry’s hand in his and they stilled outside the door of the courts “You will have to calm down Harry. I understand and I know that you are completely right but we will lose if you can’t control your temper today and I am with you and we will be able to handle Marcus together. He will be our son. I did not get an opportunity to raise Scorpius. In a way, I am happy. He is family and he will be in good hands now. We will keep him happy. We will give him a family. He will not follow his footsteps. Do not worry.” Harry averted his eyes and Draco squeezed his fingers “We might as well return to our home, if you are going to screw this up for Marcus. You can’t lose your temper today. We need you to control it.” But Harry was angry and he did not want to promise anything, so he did not turn to look at him. He did not want to make any false promises. “Okay. Do one thing. If you are too angry, look into my eyes. I will try to calm you down. Okay? We can’t screw this, Harry. He will be lost forever and we promised him. He will be looking forward to his new life. He will see it as deception. We can’t deceive him.”

The flicker of panic in his tone alarmed Harry and he squeezed his hand and looked at him. Yes Draco was panicking and Harry sighed “I will not lose my temper. If I do, I will just look in your eyes. Your eyes always calm me down. Okay? Don’t worry.”

Draco breathed twice and looked at Harry but Harry was completely calm and composed now. “Okay. I am counting on you today. I can’t do this without you.”

Harry hugged him. What else could he have done when Draco looked at him with eyes so trusting and loving? “Don’t worry. I will not lose it. Let’s proceed now.”

They touched the door and a voice spoke “State your names.”

“Harry Potter-Malfoy and Draco Potter-Malfoy.”

“Enter.”

They entered and the courtroom was as terrifying as it had been the last time. This time, though there was just one chair for Marcus and wizards and witches were all around the courtroom. His hands were bound and his hair was dishevelled. His eyes were frantic and they calmed a little when he saw them enter.

“Breathe.” Draco mouthed and Marcus obliged. He looked into Draco’s eyes and breathed hard. He calmed down after a couple of breaths.

“Please settle down, Mr. Potter-Malfoy and Mr. Potter-Malfoy.” Judge Shacklebolt spoke and they settled down across from Marcus so that he did not panic. It was perhaps just a coincidence that Albus Dumbledore was sitting across from them, that is directly behind Marcus.

“We have gathered here for the trial of Marcus Tom Marvolo Riddle. He is accused of authoring the incidents in Great Hangleton, Surrey and Hogwarts. The accused is -”

“I would like to say something, Judge Shacklebolt.” Harry stood up and so did Draco. “Forgive me for interrupting you so rudely.”

“What is the meaning of this Mr. Potter?”

“Mr. Potter-Malfoy. Thank you, Judge. Years ago, Draco and I sacrificed our lives for defeating the dark lord and by doing so we saved millions of wizards and witches. We did it selflessly so even if we did not die, everyone alive in Britain owes a life debt to us.” Harry said in a confident voice and Draco continued for him “We are here to claim that debt today.”

“What do you mean? How do you intend to claim it?” Judge asked and the courtroom was totally silent now.

“I want you to let Marcus go. I do not want you to give a life sentence to him.” Harry replied in a very strong voice. He was really surprised at himself. This was the most difficult part and he continued “You can’t refuse us. Draco agrees with me. This is the way we intend to claim our debts. Yes, Draco?”

“Yes. I agree.” Draco spoke and Judge asked Draco with truly baffled eyes “Why are you trying to protect him? He is responsible for-“

“Yes. He is but he is a child and he has remorse and your prison will do nothing but destroy the remorse that he has found.” Draco answered and Judge spoke “You do understand that he has to be punished-“

“And so he will be. We will punish him, the way we see fit. His punishment would not constitute starving him to death.” Harry replied and silence ensued in the entire courtroom. Everyone was looking at them with shock in their eyes and just like Harry had expected, it was Albus Dumbledore who broke the silence in a hard voice “I tried to keep him away from you and you just had to-“

Harry interrupted the furious headmaster sharply “You repeated the same mistake for the third time. I have never seen a more selfish wizard in my entire life, Dumbledore.”

“How dare you?” He glared at Harry and spoke in a low and dangerous voice.

“Yes, I dare. This is the third time you are repeating the same mistake. You knew that Tom Riddle had always led a loveless life. You knew that the orphanage was very bad for him. They mistreated him and you never deigned to provide him a home at Hogwarts. You could have got him adopted but you did not. You threw me to the Dursleys and you are such a –such a-“ Harry was so bloody angry with him that he could not control himself. He bloody wanted to blast the man apart.

“Mr. Potter, please control yourself.” The soft voice belonged to Marcus who was looking at him in shock and Harry realised that magic was practically sparkling on his fingertips. Harry looked into Draco’s eyes. He was squeezing his hands and he breathed hard.

“Please continue Mr. Potter-Malfoy. We would like to know what Mr. Dumbledore is responsible for, this time.” Judge demanded and Harry continued “He asked the goblins to write a false letter to Marcus. Since he could not find him and kill him, he devised a way to keep him away. The true letter that was written by his father asked him to seek my or Draco’s help. Marcus has lived in the company of houselves who hated his father and thus, hated him. He has never known love or restraint. What else do you expect from a boy who has never had a family?”

“With due respect, Mr. Potter you-“

“I did not have the complete wizarding world cursing my parents. He did. My parents did not write a letter to me demanding me to reign over everyone and spread chaos. The letter that Professor Dumbledore asked the goblins to write demanded him to follow his father’s footsteps. He did not know anything else. Professor Dumbledore never gave a chance to Tom Riddle or Marcus Riddle. He never spoke to both of them. Marcus has agreed to accept Draco’s and mine terms. We will punish him in our way and he will pay for what he has done.” Harry completed his speech and settled down. Judge Shacklebolt turned towards Draco “Do you have anything to add, Mr. Potter-Malfoy?”

“Yes. I wish you would not misunderstand Harry. He has a temper and cannot watch a life being destroyed for the greater good. He does not mean to disrespect Mr. Dumbledore. We want to provide a better life to Marcus, a life that we did not have. We also want to tell the wizarding world that we won’t punish anyone for the sins of their parents. Rest assured, he will not go unpunished. His wand will be surprise-monitored every week and he will be visiting the parents of children who have died. He will be resorted by the hat so that he can go to his house. We do not have anything against any house. He will be living in the room next to ours in Hogwarts. He will going into therapy with a mind-healer. I will be adopting him legally so he can call me father and Scorpius will be his brother. He will have a family and it will help to stabilise his mind. I would like my next words to be published in The Prophet- If there are any children of any of the ex death eaters and if they are being punished for the sins of their parents, I would like to call them forward and speak to us. We would help them. Thank you. That’s all I have to say.” Draco completed his speech and sat down.

Silence ensued after the speech and Harry held Draco’s hand in his and looked at Marcus’s face properly for the first time. The boy was watching them with wonder and surprise in his eyes.

Harry smiled and so did Draco and Marcus smiled back. He had a beautiful smile, Harry thought. His eyes were not haunted anymore. They were hopeful and Harry was happy for him.

He turned his gaze to Albus Dumbedore who was looking at his hands, a picture of sadness. The lack of protest from him had surprised Harry and Harry wondered if the old man regretted his decisions. Harry wished that he did.

As his gaze turned back to Marcus, the judge announced that Marcus was free now and Marcus stood up. The wizards and witches held their breath. They must have expected him to leave or perhaps sneer at everyone but Marcus did none of that. He walked slowly towards them and knelt in front of them. His eyes looked peaceful as he looked at Draco and him. He held their hands and placed his face on Draco’s knees.

When they heard a soft murmur “Father” from his mouth, everyone was surprised including Draco and him, as was evident from his raised eyebrows.

“Son.” Draco whispered and Harry stroked Marcus’s hair, whispering “Yes. Our Son.”

Marcus sighed and closed his eyes, a tear trickling down each of his eyes. Everyone dispersed and Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to find Ron smiling at him and found himself and Draco with an armful of Hermione who whispered tearfully “I am so very proud of both of you.”

Harry looked at each and every one of them and smiled. He had his friends and family and now they could provide a better future to Marcus.

All would be well.

XXXX

**_A/N: Thank you for supporting me throughout the series. I would not have been able to reach the end without your endless support. Thank you so very much for reading reviewing so far._ **

**_Please review after this last chapter too. I would really appreciate it._ **

**_The sequel is up_ **

**_Thank you,_ **

**_Drarry-Lisa_ **

**: ) : )**


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